Albert Einstein: The Innovative Thinker

It is open to every man to choose the direction of his striving and every man may take comfort from the fine saying that the search for the truth is more precious than its possession. 468

Have I known the Germans would not succeed in producing a bomb I never would have lifted a finger 485 

The only salvation for civilization and the human race lies in the creation of the world government as long as sovereign states continue to have armament secrets world wars will be inevitable. 

Einstein Essay “Why Socialism?”

The essay argues that unrestrained capitalism produced great disparities of wealth, cycles of boom and depression, and festering levels of unemployment. Encouraging selfishness instead of cooperation and acquiring wealth rather than serving others. People were educated for work rather than for a love of work and creativity. And political parties became corrupted by political contributions from owners of great capital. A socialist economy, he argued, would guard against tyranny and centralization of power. “A planned economy which adjusts production to the needs of the community would distribute the work to be done among all those able to work and would guarantee a livelihood to every man, woman, and child. The education of the individual in addition to promoting his own innate abilities, would attempt to develop in him a sense of responsibility for his fellow-men in place of the glorification of power and success in our present society. 

A planned economy may be accompanied by the complete enslavement of the individual. Therefore the two questions: how is it possible to prevent bureaucracy from becoming all powerful and overweening? How can the rights of the individual be protected?

The more I feel American, the more this situation pains me. I can escape the feeling of complicity in it only by speaking out. (Einstein on Racism 505).

An American tradition which is uncritically handed down from one generation to the next (on American racism). 

Every reasonable person must strive to promote moderation and a more objective judgement. 525 Einstein

I can only see the revolutionary way of non-cooperation in the sense of Gandhi’s every intellectual who is called before one of he committees ought to refuse to testify. (527 Einstein). 

Brief is this existence, as a fleeting visit in a strange house, the path to be pursued is poorly lit by a flickering consciousness. Einstein 536 on hes morality of approaching death). 

“Everything even lunacy is mass produced here. But everything goes out of fashion very quickly.” (Einstein 537 on America)

“It is tasteless to prolong life artificially I have done my share, it is time to go. I will do it elegantly” (Einstein 542 unwilling to repair he’s aneurysm/surgery)

“Man stands on this diminutive earth, gazes at the myriad stars and upon billowing oceans and tossing trees—and wonders. What does it all mean? How did it come about? The most thoughtful wondered who appeared among us in the three centuries has passed on in the person of Albert Einstein (New York Times article the day Einstein had passed). 

His tenacity in sticking to a problem for years, in returning to the problem again and again— this is the characteristic feature of Einstein’s genius. 

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving. 

When we fail, we fall back on what makes us comfortable. 

We should work first for pacifism, and only later for socialism. 

Military training is the education of the mind and body in the technique of killing. It thwarts the growth of man’s will for peace.

Freedom and individualism are necessary for creativity and imagination to flourish.

Liberty is the necessary foundation for the development of all true values. 

Class differences are contrary to justice

Conserve and unify aggressive or destructive instincts (Bolshevist)

Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.

The most beautiful emotion we can experience is the mysterious.

Are humans free agents?: No I am a determinist, everything is determined, the beginning as well as the end, by forces over which we have no control. It is determined for the insect as well as for the star. Human beings all dance to a mysterious tune intoned in the distance by an invisible player. 

Our inner balance and even our existence depend on it. Only morality in our actions can give beauty and dignity to life. 

The properties class here seize upon anything that might provide ammunition in the struggle against boredom

America according to Einstein: a boring and barren society (he alters this claim later in the book).

American youth has the good fortune not to have its outlook troubled by outworn traditions. 

Striving for social justice is the most valuable thing to do in life.

After Elsa’s death: “As long as I am able to work, I must not and will not complain, because work is the only thing that gives substance to life.”

If and when war comes, Hitler will realize the harm he has done Germany by driving out the Jewish scientists. 

I was originally supposed to become an engineer, but the thought of having to expand my creative energy on things that make practical everyday life even more refined, with a bleak capital gain as the goal, was unbearable to me. Thinking for its own sake, like music!” And thus he headed off to the Zurich Polytechnic. (31)

 

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. (Thanks Sam)

“Among us we see many Japanese, living a lonely existence, studying diligently, smiling in a friendly manner,” he wrote. “No one can fathom the feelings concealed behind this guarded smile.” Long before he set foot in Japan, Einstein had a strong affinity for the country.

"A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness." (This quote written to a Bell Boy in Japan sold for $1.5 Million)