News & Views item - May 2008

 

 

Albert Einstein's Letter to Philosopher Eric Gutkind. (May 17, 2008)

The creator of what is arguably the most brilliant abstract conception of the human intellect, the Theory of General Relativity, is in the news once again with the auctioning of a short note written in 1954 by Albert Einstein to the little known philosopher, Eric Gutkind.

 

Written in German, the AFP has published this partial translation:

 

The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish.

 

No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this.

  

For me the Jewish religion like all others is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions.

  

And the Jewish people to whom I gladly belong and with whose mentality I have a deep affinity have no different quality for me than all other people.

  

As far as my experience goes, they are no better than other human groups, although they are protected from the worst cancers by a lack of power. Otherwise I cannot see anything 'chosen' about them.