Einstein: God: a Subtle Architect, a Mysterious Experience, But No Hereafter
The choice of Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
Albert Einstein is an example of a scientist who confronts the universe and chooses to believe in the existence of God.
Although the God of Einstein is not the God of the Bible, he believes according to his personal convictions declaring the need of a 'subtle architect to explain natural phenomena'.
The interesting point in Einstein's belief is the implicit
impossibility to prove the existence of God admitting at the same time the total mystery of the universe, and in rejoicing in the mystical experience of science. By confronting this mystery the scientist deliberates his choice.
In his interview by Peter A. Bucky, Einstein precise the following assumptions (1):
Einstein Rejects God of Religion
Bucky: 'So then, you consider yourself to be a religious man?'
Einstein:
'I believe in mystery and, frankly, I sometimes face this mystery with great fear. In other words, I think that there are many things in the universe that we cannot perceive or penetrate and that also we experience some of the most beautiful things in life in only a very primitive way. Only in relation to these mysteries do I consider myself to be a religious man. But I sense these things deeply.
What I cannot understand is how there could possibly be a God who would reward or punish his subjects or who could induce us to develop our will in our daily life.' 2
Ambiguity if Reasoning
Bucky: 'You don't believe in God, then?'
Einstein:
'Ah, this is what I mean about religion and science going hand-in-hand! Each has a place, but each must be relegated to its sphere. Let's assume that we are dealing with a theoretical physicist or scientist who is very well-acquainted with the different laws of the universe, such as how the planets orbit the sun and how the satellites in turn orbit around their respective planets. Now, this man who has studied and
understands these different laws 'how could he possibly believe in one God who would be capable of distributing the paths of these great orbiting masses?'
We can retort to this point: what prevents the scientist from belief, and precisely, the idea that there is one God that is capable of doing this? After all, if creation is accepted and everything shows the same model of form and structure, change and behavior, then the assumption of one God can be considered hypothetically valid. In fact who more than one
God that can create the same things? 3
In this argument Einstein denies, on the one hand, the possibility of one God who is capable of creating our complicated universe. On the other hand, he asserts that who can create the same things except one God.
This argument is contradictory and paradoxical, strange for a master-mind in scientific thinking.
Einstein Rejects an Anthropomorphic God
But acknowledges the mysticality of science
'No, the natural laws of science have not only been worked out theoretically but have been proven also in practice. 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 there is any such concept as a God, it is a subtle spirit, not an image of a man that so many have fixed their minds. In essence, my religion consists of a humble admiration for this illimitable superior spirit that reveals itself in the slight details that we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble minds.' 4
Einstein denies the Hereafter
No Reward, no Punishment for Einstein
Bucky:'Do you think perhaps that most people need religion to keep them in check, so to speak?'
Einstein:
'No, clearly not. I do not believe that a man should be
restrained in his daily actions by being afraid of punishment after death or that he should do things only because in this way he will be rewarded after he dies. This does not make sense. The proper guidance during the life of a man should be the weight that he puts upon ethics and the amount of consideration that he has for others. Education has a great role to play in this respect. Religion should have nothing to do
with a fear of living or a fear of death, but should instead be striving after rational knowledge.' 4
The Choice of Einstein
The outlook of Einstein represents his personal convictions of what God is. It is founded on Einstein's choice to believe in an 'illimitable superior spirit that reveals itself in the slightest details', therewith he offers his reasons for such a belief. His free choice to believe extends to his rejection of an
'anthropomorphic God', referring to Christianity, and the rejection of traditional religion which proclaims a day of judgment and reward and punishment, dependent on man's good and evil deeds in this life. Einstein does not believe in a day of judgment proclaimed by religious belief.
The choice of Einstein to believe is the result of his
Reasoning out when confronting with the universe, founded on what he calls 'rational knowledge', a contradiction in terms with 'belief'.
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1. From The Private Albert Einstein by Peter A. Bucky with Allen G. Weakland, Andrews and McMeel, Kansas City, 1992, pp 85.
2. Ibid., p. 86.
3. Ibid., p. 86.
4. Ibid., p. 87.