This authorized Philosophical Library edition features information from never-before-seen documents housed at the Albert Einstein Archives of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Very well read book, I completely enjoyed listening to it. The content can be tough to follow, but is interesting. The narration is excellent but a bit slow so 1.
Nevertheless I found the content is only interesting from a historical context. This collection includes letters, speeches and essays on Zionism, socialism, unionism, world government, pacifism, and quite a few eulogies. What disappointed you about Essays in Humanism? I anticipated far more of the inner human in Einstein than what sounded like a scripted maybe ghost-written oft-repeated marketing piece for 1-world government.
Such a concept might end up what the world needs. However I did not detect a depth of thought in the structure that convinces me that Einstein knew political science and the predispositions of mankind well enough to be an authority. I'd surely trust him in a dissertation on mathematics or physics. If the group of essays were, in fact Einstein's own words they were over-simplistic and bereft of safe-guards for human liberty.
The narrator has a long list of achievements, affiliations and attributes, not all of which filter down to a person who I'd want crafting an omnipotent, armed entity, which called the shots for the entire planet. In fairness, most of the essays were written without a crystal ball that made visible today's economic, political and human circumstances. Despite my enjoying the English language and a good vocabulary, I found the text to often stumble over itself, seemingly in an effort to sound erudite, more-so than to deliver the content.
His commentary on fellow scientists and scholars was, in contrast, interesting. I might recommend this to a sociology student or a grad student in political science as a work that might reveal thought processes and philosophical persuasion techniques I have not studied.
On the whole, the book was almost a waste of time and was surely a disappointment. What do you think your next listen will be? How could the performance have been better? I found it lacked any references to modern circumstances and how the world has evolved after the essays were written. I think the reader had excellent tonality and diction. It demonstrated how even complex minds can use simplistic reasoning as a basis of establishing levels of control over others.
This need not be considered as sinister but more of a validation of the saying; "The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Variety is the spice of life and some spices don't suit some palates. Chalk one up for not so good. Timeless writings that are still applicable, I enjoyed particularly the ones related to science and peace. Essays in Humanism By: Albert Einstein Narrated by: Free with day trial Membership details Membership details A day trial plus your first audiobook, free.
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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.
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. 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. 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. Recomendable como primer acercamiento al hombre humilde y enorme que era. Jan 05, Arno Mosikyan rated it really liked it Shelves: 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: 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 I lived in solitude in the country and noticed how the monotony of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.
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 the growing generation the ideals of outward power and military successes.
The most important factor in giving shape to our human existence is the setting up and establishment of a goal; the goal being a community of free and happy human beings who by constant inward endeavor strive to liberate themselves from the inheritance of anti-social and destructive instincts. In this effort the intellect can be the most powerful aid.
The fruits of intellectual effort, together with the striving itself, in cooperation with the creative activity of the artist, lend content and meaning to life.
Jan 17, Richard Croner rated it really liked it. 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 I read this book with a grain of salt. Einstein's advocacy for a one world supra-government and military is just one example of just how naive he was regarding people. Interesting book and perspective. 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. Feb 13, Alex rated it did not like it Shelves: So none of this was actually about humanism and the essays have no introduction or context included. Surprisingly poorly written and redundant. More political than the title would suggest. Made me wish he had stuck to Physics. Dec 28, Cathleen rated it really liked it. 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. Sep 10, Sarah rated it liked it Shelves: Jan 27, Jonathan rated it liked it. 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: 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 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: 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 pronouncing himself a "Citizen of the world" , but because, as Nin's counterpart discovered: Governments by and large are filled with people who are in love with their own sense of power.
The 2nd part of the book covered memoriams written for friend's of Einstein's who had passed, and who had also fought for peace. There was some covering of world war II, and the beginning of building Palenstine, both which were interesting, as well as the diving in to both understand, and hopefully undo, prejudice.
Einstein writes of resolve chiefly. Written with a clear voice and a thoughtful perspective on the effects o. In this fascinating collection of articles and speeches, Albert Einstein reflects not only on the scientific method at work in his own theoretical discoveries, but eloquently expresses a great appreciation for his scientific contemporaries and forefathers, including Johannes Kepler, Isaac Newton, James Clerk Maxwell, Max Planck, and Niels Bohr. In fact most of his essays are naive, innocent longings for a better world. If the group of essays were, in fact Einstein's own words they were over-simplistic and bereft of safe-guards for human liberty.
To me, these were the more worthwhile topics, but they didn't take up much room in the book. I'd gauge it's worth a skim, and one should mark and read through the essays in full that interest them; but it is difficult for me to believe that the essays are, in fact, Einstein's best works. Were someone to ask me of what to read on the humanities, I'd still be more liable to tell them to read: Thoreau, Emerson, Nin's Diaries, and various other authors.
Sadly, I'm not even sure this would make it as a recommendation on my list. Jan 06, Ger rated it really liked it. Albert Einstein was no doubt a brilliant man. But that doesn't mean he was wise about everything. 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 Albert Einstein was no doubt a brilliant man.
He wrote that "One-sided armament of a national basis only heightens the general uncertainty and confusion without being an effective protection.
A superior military force, creditability used, is the best defense and best deterrent. Here is another gem: