Ideas & Opinions - Book by Albert einstein

Einstein would have made a great blogger; notwithstanding the great scientist he was, the most decorated of his ilk, he was also a great humanist with an inquiring mind that looked beyond the higher realms of physics and into a vast canvas of issues ranging from his first impressions of USA, War & Peace, Socialism, Religion, Philosophy and just about everything. At the end of this book, one is left wondering; here is a great philosopher and thinker in the garb of a great physicist.

While the book makes a sincere effort at  compiling  observations, opinions, thoughts and insights, some passages left me wondering  whether something went amiss in translation (from German to English) .  What began as uncharacteristic journey suddenly turned around with a miracle year, know the interesting infographic of Einstein's career here

However  the most acclaimed scientist icon of all ages doesn’t disappoint in most  part except when he starts revving up on Maths and Physics.  Here even his layman language can leave one sweating  it out  especially those unfamiliar with physics. 

I would like to share with  the readers some very illuminating  observations I came across in the book

·        On God : I cannot conceive of a God who rewards & punishes his creatures or has a will of the kind that we experience in ourselves.…

·        On Life :  I am satisfied with the mystery of the eternity of life and with the awareness & glimpse of the marvelous structure of the existing world, together with the devoted striving to comprehend a portion be it ever so tiny, of the Reason that manifests itself in nature..

·        On Leaders :  In the case of political, and even religious, leaders it is often very doubtful whether they have done more good or harm …

·        On Individual & Society : when we survey our lives and endeavors, we soon observe that almost the whole of our actions & desires is bound with the existence of other human beings. We eat food that others have produced, wear clothes that others have made, live in houses that others have built. The greater part of our knowledge and beliefs have been communicated to us by other people through the medium of language  which others have created.  The individual is what he is and has the significance that he has not so much in his virtue of individuality but rather as a member of a great human community