I assert that the cosmic religious experience is the strongest and the noblest driving force behind scientific research.
Interpretation
Einstein emphasizes the profound connection between spirituality and scientific inquiry.
In this quote, Albert Einstein argues that the cosmic religious experience, which evokes feelings of wonder and awe about the universe, serves as a powerful motivation for scientific exploration. He suggests that the search for understanding the fundamental laws of nature is driven not only by curiosity but also by a deep sense of reverence and responsibility toward the universe, highlighting the interconnectedness of science and spirituality.
In practice
In a lecture about the importance of inspiration in scientific discoveries.
I cannot then believe in this concept of an anthropomorphic God who has the powers of interfering with these natural laws. As I said before, the most beautiful and most profound religious emotion that we can experience is the sensation of the mystical. And this mysticality is the power of all true science.
If I would follow your advice and Jesus could perceive it, he, as a Jewish teacher, surely would not approve of such behavior.
I want to know all Gods thoughts; all the rest are just details.
In the middle of adversity there is great opportunity.
I do not believe that civilization will be wiped out in a war fought with the atomic bomb. Perhaps two-thirds of the people of the earth will be killed.
To me the worst thing seems to be a school principally to work with methods of fear, force and artificial authority. Such treatment destroys the sound sentiments, the sincerity and the self-confidence of pupils and produces a subservient subject.
Any important disease whose causality is murky, and for which treatment is ineffectual, tends to be awash in significance.
If we think of our chromosomes - they carry our genetic material - as being like shoelaces, I work on the plastic tips at the end that protect them.
We consider it vital that the community of nations be drawn together in an orderly, disciplined, rational way to review the history of our global environment, to assess the potential for future climate change, and to develop effective programs.
If Providence has created the stars and the planets, man has called the cannonball into existence.
I sometimes try to imagine what would have happened if weβd known the bonobo first and the chimpanzee only laterβor not at all. The discussion about human evolution might not revolve as much around violence, warfare and male dominance, but rather around sexuality, empathy, caring and cooperation. What a different intellectual landscape we would occupy!
The important thing is that we now have the tools to sequence all kinds of animals and plants and microbes - as well as humans. It is not important that we didn't actually finish the human sequence yet.
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