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Essays in Humanism

Albert Einstein

3.83 · Rating details · 529 ratings · 34 reviews

The great thinker reflects on such topics as nuclear weapons, world poverty, and international affairs in this Wall Street Journal bestseller.

Nuclear proliferation, Zionism, and the global economy are just a few of the insightful and surprisingly prescient topics scientist Albert Einstein discusses in this volume of collected essays from between 1931 and 1950. Written wit ...more

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Paperback, 184 pages

Published October 20th 2015 by Philosophical Library/Open Road (first published 1950)

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Oct 14, 2012 Joshua rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I won't claim to agree with many of the ideas that Einstein sets forth in this small collection of essays, but I will say that they were well laid-out and certainly provided fodder for deeper reflection. I think that everyone knows who Einstein is but like me, have spent little time getting to know Einstein. The internet is rife with supposed quotes from Einstein leaving people to wonder what Einstein actually said and thought. If this is you then I suppose this book will begin to help you resol I won't claim to agree with many of the ideas that Einstein sets forth in this small collection of essays, but I will say that they were well laid-out and certainly provided fodder for deeper reflection. I think that everyone knows who Einstein is but like me, have spent little time getting to know Einstein. The internet is rife with supposed quotes from Einstein leaving people to wonder what Einstein actually said and thought. If this is you then I suppose this book will begin to help you resolve those questions as you get to know Einstein's political and moral convictions in a very clear and concise manner. Some of his thoughts were things I would have expected to read based on the little bit that I knew about him while others left me a little surprised and amused. Again, the arguments are well-laid out but they are not bulletproof and there are a few things he said which I felt expressed a naivety concerning human nature. Nevertheless, in the context of his own time and place in history they made sense. This is certainly a piece that reflects the era it was written in, yet many of the messages are relevant for the modern world.

Einstein was first and foremost a socialist and I am curious now to know how much of a backlash he felt about this in an era of the "McCarthy Kangaroo Trials." To my knowledge this did not have any serious repercussions even though I am not sure how he avoided it during the Cold War period. He thinks that socialism is the answer to economic disparity and believes that it is a step towards genuine progress. There is a marked difference in his generation vs. ours because many in our time reject the notion of progress while Einstein thought that it was attainable. Einstein thinks that human have contradictory elements to their nature that makes them self-centered while also socially dependent. He felt that it was the workers who created the goods and services and that these very people feel that they have been robbed by the capitalist who ultimately steals it and exploits for his own benefit. In addition to economic issues Einstein discusses the relationship between races in America and the benefits and woes that scientific development has upon society at large. While he understand that technology has the power transform society it also has a dark side that could result in catastrophic proportions.

A majority of the work has Einstein discussing the pertinence of a supranational organization that will ultimately trump the authority of individual nations. He does briefly acknowledge the danger of such a power but dismisses it because he feels that individual nations and the threat of war pose a much greater danger than a supranational group that overseas the governments of the world. Again, Einstein is living in the era of time where Russia and America are engaged in serious hostility. He urges America to be willing to move toward this existence citing that Russia will follow their lead once it is clear that America is not seeking to harm Russia but to live in world peace. There is an exchange written in this book between a Russian scientist and Einstein. The Russian resisted Einstein idea of a supranational organization citing that this would be a way that America seek to impose capitalism on the world at large. Einstein of course, was sympathetic to this because he himself did not believe in capitalism. However, he stands firmly for America and seems to have a favorable opinion of the nation that took him in and made him one of her own.

Einstein's greatest concern was the issue of the bomb and it becomes very clear that he feels that he has a sense of responsibility to insure that the bomb is not used. The creation of bomb he saw as necessary because he understood that this could have been developed and used by Germany during WWII, but he laments that it exists in the present and is essentially being used to create tensions as well as distrust throughout the world. This was one of the central reasons that he thought that a supranational organization needed to exist. Einstein thought that patriotism was very harmful and was something to government could use to advance their own agendas. Essentially, Einstein sees a world without class, social, or national distinctions. That does not mean that he thinks that there should be one language or culture yet he never actually explains how that it suppose to work. Culture itself is something that would need to be more homogeneous in order to relieve any and all tensions and this does not even account for tensions caused by religious interests. This is one of the reasons I suggested that there was some naivety on his part. He fails to take into account the force and power that culture plays upon individual groups and society at-large. His greatest fear is that the bomb will be used to eradicate some sector or all of humanity and perhaps he did not consider that the bomb is its own restrainer. That is, the threat of the bomb has been enough to deter it from being used through the cold war and into the modern period.

Einstein addresses a number of other less important issues that prove to shine a light on the soul of Einstein and give us a window into his thought life. Some of the articles are addresses about Scientists and friends who made a significant impact in his life and in the world. He discusses their research and sometimes expresses personal feelings or thoughts about the individual. As far as I could tell, each individual was someone who was already deceased at the time of the essay, and only some of them were people that Einstein actually knew. He also talks about the importance of the role played by Zionism in the Jewish community. He praised it as a powerful force in keeping the community together and keeping the Jewish people alive. He supported a return to the homeland but he did not necessarily support a Jewish nation and thought that if Jews did the right thing they would do their best to work together and co-exist peacefully with the Arabs who lived in Palestine. He saw the creation of the Jewish state as something that was detrimental and a step backwards in the development of humanity. This had to do less with the Jews and more to do with the fact that Einstein thought that the way to insure peace was to promote the idea of a global community and he saw individual nations as a deterrent to that process.

Overall, this book was well-worth reading. Many of the conclusions that Einstein reached were ideas that did not resonate with me. I am not a socialist, I do NOT believe in supranational organizations, I do believe in individual nations and the creation of the Jewish state in Palestine. However, I am not afraid to read an opposing opinion and give it some consideration. I think that Einstein had noble intentions and was looking at things from the angle of one who participated in the creation of the world's most dangerous invention. He lived in a different time, a different place, and had seen humanity at its best and its worst. I think we can all share Einstein's apprehension about the bomb and should recognize how important it is for nations to cooperate and make the world a safer place. Even now, our eyes have turned toward North Korea as they test their own nuclear power capabilities and we see the horrible possibilities that the bomb could release upon the future. Einstein had some good points that have to be taken into consideration. Again, this is a refreshing book with an interesting view point and agree or not one thing is certain: Einstein cannot be easily dismissed. ...more

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Aug 30, 2019 Bernard O'Leary rated it liked it · review of another edition

Einstein was a Centrist Da

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Jan 06, 2013 Ger rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Albert Einstein was no doubt a brilliant man. But that doesn't mean he was wise about everything. For example:

Having viewed the brutality of war he was anxious that it be prevented. He recommended a supranational military force that would keep the peace and once agreed upon the "guarantee against war of world-wide dimensions can be assured" But the problem with trying to suppress man's desire for power with a super organization is that the super organization is comprised of MEN WHO WILL WANT POW ...more

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Jan 27, 2015 Jonathan rated it liked it · review of another edition

Really wasn't as impressed with this as much as I thought I would be; a good portion of the first half of the slim book is pretty repetitious, the essays covering the same subject matter in different framings (Not merely Humanism, but specific ideas about Humanism: IE: A world state as a judicial court, with the intent to do away with the need for war.) I found the idea overly idealistic, at best; not because I am against peace (A friend of Anais Nin acted upon doing something very similar in pr ...more

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Sep 02, 2011 Don rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: history, philosophy-religion, politics-society, ethics

As one would expect when reading something by Einstein, this collection of essays was incredibly thought-provoking. Both for internal reflection, but also for how society as a whole moves towards a realistic passion for peace and security. Having been mostly familiar with his scientific work, I was amazed to see how active he was in writing about political and social concerns, and specifically, how much he advocated for a world organization much like the United Nations, but with more authority. ...more

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Jan 05, 2018 Arno Mosikyan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: philosophy

I lived in solitude in the country and noticed how the monotony of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.

Most people go on living their everyday life: half frightened, half indifferent, they behold the ghostly tragicomedy that is being performed on the international stage before the eyes and ears of the world.

Schools ought to be intent on presenting history from the point of view of progress and the growth of human civilization, rather than using it as a means for fostering in the minds of t ...more

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Dec 09, 2013 Forest Book rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book gives hope to the necessary presence of humanism. Professor Einstein writes with clarity from an unassailable intelligence of heart, mind and soulful existence. The essays repeat over and over the characteristics of humanism. Central to its principles; is mindfulness of how one treats effects the whole.

Writing of our effortful attributes, he clarifies our most nurturing ideals, ideas, and behavior. Einstein writes of resolve chiefly. And the absolute necessity of intellectuals to main ...more

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Mar 13, 2014 Ian rated it really liked it · review of another edition

a short collection of essays reiterating the importance of a global government. something very advanced for our humanity that it seems like a fantasy, but with the proper precautions and a set of guidelines that could control and provide world peace could work in the years to come.

einstein also explains the jewish state and how their race have impacted society as a whole, and also, stating that germans are evil people and should be punished. i never really thought of einstein as a person who wou ...more

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Jan 17, 2018 Richard Croner rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I read this book with a grain of salt. By that I mean Albert Einstein was a genius in theoretical physics but although a very clear thinker he was just like you and I when it came to opinions regarding society, governments and people in general. I enjoyed the book and found some of his views compelling. I could not tell when the various articles were actually written or delivered but it was obvious that the majority were from the period after the conclusion of WW2 and the mid 50's. Einstein's ad ...more

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Apr 25, 2019 Genevieve rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019-reading-challenge

I’m really disappointed in myself for only giving Einstein’s essays 3 stars.
This is a collection of his thoughts on politics, the speeches he made for different memorials and monuments and other public speaking events, articles he had published in different magazines...
My favorite essays were his thoughts on the persecution of the Jewish people. That was fascinating.
It is an interesting read and you’ll get an idea of the kind of man he was.
I’m giving it 3 stars because I don’t find it recomme ...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Cathy rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I didn't read all the essays that spanned at least a decade or more but got the general drift. The writing style is archaic (think German speaker writing in English in the 30s -40s) so it doesn't make for ease of reading and the message is repetitive and sometimes contradictory (Israel is a good thing, the Arabs should just get along).

There's also a sweet naïveté to his demand for a world government ala the UN... In fact most of his essays are naive, innocent longings for a better world.

...more

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Sep 11, 2014 Sam Motes rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A very easy read coming from such a deep mind. Einstein��s remorse for helping to unleash the weapons that can seal our fate on a global scale came through loud and clear. He makes a strong case for his undying belief that the only way to avoid our eminent doom is the establishment of a supranational government that ensures government is managed on a global scale. A very thought provoking collection of essays still as relevant today as the day Einstein produced them.

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May 16, 2018 Anel Kapur rated it liked it

Whilst I can appreciate some of the points Einstein aims to convey in this book, I can't help but feel I would enjoy reading the complex equations that led to the formulation of The Theory of Relativity a lot more than I enjoyed reading this collection of works. To look at the current state of world is to get an understanding of how fantastical some of the ideas he lobbied for are within the context of current geopolitical climate. Disappointed. ...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Dustin Voliva rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: must-reads, read-2012

An exploration into the humanist side of one of our greatest physicists. As a collection, it works well. He explores a socialism, a singular world government and the hopes for a path to an end of military conquest, and the spirituality and tradition of Jewish ideals.

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Feb 13, 2018 Alex rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: politics-history, skills

So none of this was actually about humanism and the essays have no introduction or context included. Breakdown is roughly 50% saying why we should have a single world government, 25% memoriums to dead scientists, 25% discussing how great it is the jewish people now have the country Israel.

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Sep 26, 2012 Josi Rebar rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Political and social views remind me of Gene Roddenberry's. ...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Pat May rated it liked it · review of another edition

Way over my head. This is a book I had to read for a short time and then sit back and think for a while. Encourages examination of personal worldviews.

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Oct 02, 2012 Kellie-Rose Wick rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Great,beware of racial opinions!!!

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Aug 12, 2013 Daniel rated it really liked it · review of another edition

He was a genius but some ideologies I did not agree with. Even so, his ideas are interesting to read. It is good to keep an open mind.

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Jan 29, 2016 Gabrielle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I loved this collection of essays, Of course we all know of this man's genius in physics and mathematics, but what a gentle and loving and ambitious heart. ...more

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Feb 19, 2016 Matt Heavner rated it liked it

interesting collection of politics, obituaries, and a bit of science. I found this to be both dated and timely.

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Aug 10, 2016 Laura Montauti rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Very interesting read, insightful and with relevance still today although I don't agree with all his points, I would definitely like a world without war. ...more

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Dec 28, 2017 Cathleen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

An interesting insight into one of the wisest minds of the last century. Einstein waxes philosophically on various topics of his time, Zionism, and his contemporaries.

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Apr 14, 2018 RONALD EVANS rated it liked it · review of another edition

Surprisingly poorly written and redundant. More political than the title would suggest. Made me wish he had stuck to Physics.

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Sep 10, 2018 Sarah rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: blind-dates-with-books

Interesting reading.

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Dec 19, 2020 Senthil Kumaran rated it really liked it

There we Einstein's thoughts on various topics. He desired a World-Government, powerful and in control of Nuclear Weapons. Had a balanced view of both Socialism and Capitalism. Readily allowed his critics to address their rebuttal and answered that.

He writes In memoriam for fellow scientists and many other great leaders of the world. He feels guilty for being associated with development of Atom Bomb and urges Nations to work towards peace.

He shares ample stories about the difficulties Jews have ...more

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Mar 27, 2020 Gerald Kinro rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: general-non-fiction

Einstein, regarded as one of sciences great minds gives his views on things outside of science, views largely shaped by his experiences as a Jew in Europe in the early to mid-2oth Century. I feel that he is very idealistic with a mediocre, at best, grasp of human nature and a weak understanding of how the rest of us intellectually-challenged people think. Nevertheless, I found it interesting and entertaining, though sometimes difficult to read with his flowery style and often double negatives.

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Nov 13, 2019 Joseph rated it liked it · review of another edition

Interesting essays by Albert Einstein, but I'm a bit disappointed in how many of the essays focused on the idea of a Supranational state to bring about peace. Uniting the world's nations into a global government with a peace-keeping army has its merits, but I would have liked to read more about actual humanism instead. ...more

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Apr 01, 2020 Stacey rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I don’t know how to rate this. I personally did not enjoy this. The life philosophy I enjoyed but it was more political that I expected. There is a lot of mention about atomic bombs and supranational political forces. All that being said, there is no doubt Einstein has a brilliant mind it was still intriguing.

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Sep 14, 2012 Ebb rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I'd never read anything by Einstein but I found his views and writings on Humanism to be very interesting. I would recommend this to anyone who has an interesting in Humanism or Einstein in general. ...more

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About Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein

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In 1879, Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Zurich by 1909. His 1905 paper explaining the photoelectric effect, the basis of electronics, earned him the Nobel Prize in 1921. His first paper on Special Relativity Theory, also published in 1905, changed the world. After the rise of the Nazi party, Einstein made Princeton his permanent home, becoming In 1879, Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Zurich by 1909. His 1905 paper explaining the photoelectric effect, the basis of electronics, earned him the Nobel Prize in 1921. His first paper on Special Relativity Theory, also published in 1905, changed the world. After the rise of the Nazi party, Einstein made Princeton his permanent home, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1940. Einstein, a pacifist during World War I, stayed a firm proponent of social justice and responsibility. He chaired the Emergency Committee of Atomic Scientists, which organized to alert the public to the dangers of atomic warfare.

At a symposium, he advised: "In their struggle for the ethical good, teachers of religion must have the stature to give up the doctrine of a personal God, that is, give up that source of fear and hope which in the past placed such vast power in the hands of priests. In their labors they will have to avail themselves of those forces which are capable of cultivating the Good, the True, and the Beautiful in humanity itself. This is, to be sure a more difficult but an incomparably more worthy task . . . " ("Science, Philosophy and Religion, A Symposium," published by the Conference on Science, Philosophy and Religion in their Relation to the Democratic Way of Life, Inc., New York, 1941). In a letter to philosopher Eric Gutkind, dated Jan. 3, 1954, Einstein stated: "The word god is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honorable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish. No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this," (The Guardian, "Childish superstition: Einstein's letter makes view of religion relatively clear," by James Randerson, May 13, 2008). D. 1955.

While best known for his mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc2 (which has been dubbed "the world's most famous equation"), he received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his services to theoretical physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect". The latter was pivotal in establishing quantum theory.

Einstein thought that Newtonion mechanics was no longer enough to reconcile the laws of classical mechanics with the laws of the electromagnetic field. This led to the development of his special theory of relativity. He realized, however, that the principle of relativity could also be extended to gravitational fields, and with his subsequent theory of gravitation in 1916, he published a paper on the general theory of relativity. He continued to deal with problems of statistical mechanics and quantum theory, which led to his explanations of particle theory and the motion of molecules. He also investigated the thermal properties of light which laid the foundation of the photon theory of light.

He was visiting the United States when Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933 and did not go back to Germany. On the eve of World War II, he endorsed a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt alerting him to the potential development of "extremely powerful bombs of a new type" and recommending that the U.S. begin similar research. This eventually led to what would become the Manhattan Project. Einstein supported defending the Allied forces, but largely denounced the idea of using the newly discovered nuclear fission as a weapon. Later, with Bertrand Russell, Einstein signed the Russell–Einstein Manifesto, which highlighted the danger of nuclear weapons. Einstein was affiliated with the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, until his death in 1955.

His great intellectual achievements and originality have made the word "Einstein" synonymous with genius.

More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_E...

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prize... ...more