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Research Paper On Albert Einstein Religion

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Science and Religion: Albert Einstein Albert Einstein is regarded as one of the greatest scientific thinkers of our time, but his interests were not only in the empirical. Einstein’s worldview included the religious experience, which he regarded as the source of all science. His agnostic view of existence encouraged his interests in scientific study, and his beliefs resemble some of the religions studied in this course. In most religions, a key aspect is understanding something that makes us more complete or closer to understanding. When Einstein described his opinion of religion, he stated that “A human being is part of a whole… He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest-a kind of optical illusion …show more content…

Much like the beliefs of Spinozism, Einstein equates God with being a part of the existing universe, which implies disregard to any omnipotent figure which has been manufactured by man. Although this monism is very neutral, it is still there. Perhaps Einstein’s belief that free will does not exist lead him to regard a god being as just part of the greater whole, not standing out and taking interest in human emotions and affairs. This would make sense, as he has stated agreement with Schopenhauer’s belief that man cannot “will what he wills (Einstein-website.com). Many indigenous religions also share a neutral monistic approach, saying that all gods or higher powers are part of nature. Einstein was adamant on truth and social justice, and perhaps this neutrality allowed him to remain unbiased in his approaches to science. Einstein’s personal beliefs tread the line between philosophy and religion. Philosophy bases its beliefs off a system of logical decision making, whereas religion leaves unknowns to be a matter of faith. Faith is defined as trust or confidence, and Einstein was very much based in facts, rather than blind trust. However, his speculations on the unknown seek no answer other than the question of discovering the unknown, which imply trust in the fact that the unknown …show more content…

This can aid people in becoming more open to other people’s interpretations and emotions, but it can also create social barriers between different religions. Objectivity is when something holds truth outside of its perspective. Very few religions have an objective approach, and most that do are considered philosophies or ideals rather than a faith based organization. Einstein’s work required a very objective perspective, and his personal beliefs mirror this with its broad interpretation of god and religion. Something that hinders a lot of the science community and the religious community from getting along is remaining subjective. Much of science can be found in religion, and much philosophy and religious beliefs have stemmed from science. The desire to understand greater things is what motivates science and religion, and that is where the beauty of Einstein’s view really shows. Two things are part of a whole, the physical and the infinite, and Einstein saw this very

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