Einstein and Religion: Physics and Theology: Max Jammer: 9780691102979: Amazon.com: Books
Einstein and Religion: Physics and Theology
by Max Jammer (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars 25 customer reviews
ISBN-13: 978-0691102979
ISBN-10: 069110297XWhy is ISBN important?
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Einstein's God: A Way of Being Spiritual Without the Supernatural
Todd Macalister
"I am a deeply religious non-believer." Discover the religious thought of one of the most brilliant scientists of all time.
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The Cosmic Machine: The Science That Runs Our Universe and the Story --------------------
The philosophy of religion and the quest for spiritual truth preoccupied Albert Einstein--so much that it has been said "one might suspect he was a disguised theologian." Nevertheless, the literature on the life and work of Einstein, extensive as it is, does not provide an adequate account of his religious conception and sentiments. Only fragmentarily known, Einstein's ideas about religion have been often distorted both by atheists and by religious groups eager to claim him as one of their own. But what exactly was Einstein's religious credo? In this fascinating book, the distinguished physicist and philosopher Max Jammer offers an unbiased and well-documented answer to this question.
The book begins with a discussion of Einstein's childhood religious education and the religious atmosphere--or its absence--among his family and friends. It then reconstructs, step by step, the intellectual development that led Einstein to the conceptions of a cosmic religion and an impersonal God, akin to "the God of Spinoza." Jammer explores Einstein's writings and lectures on religion and its role in society, and how far they have been accepted by the general public and by professional theologians like Paul Tillich or Frederick Ferré. He also analyzes the precise meaning of Einstein's famous dictum "Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind," and why this statement can serve as an epitome of Einstein's philosophy of religion.
The last chapter deals with the controversial question of whether Einstein's scientific work, and in particular his theory of relativity, has theologically significant implications, a problem important for those who are interested in the relation between science and religion. Both thought-provoking and engaging, this book aims to introduce readers, without proselytizing, to Einstein's religion.
Max Jammer is Professor of Physics Emeritus and former Rector at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. He is the author of a number of treatises on the foundations of physics, including Concepts of Space, which contains a preface by Albert Einstein, and The Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics, which was read in draft by Paul Dirac and Werner Heisenberg. For his publications, most of which have been translated into several languages, Jammer has received numerous awards, among them the prestigious Monograph Prize of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In writing Einstein and Religion, Jammer used as his sources the Einstein Archive at the National and University Library in Jerusalem and the library of the Union Theological Seminary in New York.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
Co-Winner of the 2000 Outstanding Book Prize, Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences
It is surprising that so little scholarly attention has been paid to [Einstein's] religious views. . . . This is a compelling, long overdue treatment of a neglected topic. (Publishers Weekly)
A valuable resource.---George L. Murphy, American Scientist
Jammer's fascinating and scholarly account of Einstein's personal attitude toward religion explores the emergence of his 'cosmic religion'. . . (Choice)
Jammer is an excellent guide to the religious impact of Einstein's life and thought.---Greg Peterson, Christian Century
A superb three-part survey that deals with the role of religion in Einstein's personal life; his philosophy of religion; and finally the effect of his physics on theology, the most brilliantly entertaining section of Jammer's book.---Meir Ronnen, The Jerusalem Post
Max Jammer illuminates Einstein's enigmatic relationship to religion with a clarity and detail that no previous study can equal. . . . Mr. Jammer's readable study should long remain an indispensable reference.---John F. Haught, The Washington Times
Jammer . . . shed[s] light on Einstein's often ambiguous views of religion, beginning with his early religious training and following his evolution to the idea of an impersonal God. [He] takes pains to clarify widespread misinterpretations of Einstein's spiritual views.---Leigh Fenly, San Diego Union-Tribune
I can strongly recommend this beautifully written and accessible book.---Andrew Pinsent, Physics World
One emerges from this scholarly and readable book with a new appreciation of the uniqueness of Einstein's spirit.---Gerald Holton, Philosophy of Science
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From the Back Cover
"No other work offers as broad an account of Einstein's views on the relationship between science and religion or brings together all of the different facets of the topic in one short, easily accessible account. Einstein and Religion also offers a badly needed critique of some of the many misinterpretations and misuses of Einstein's views. Professor Jammer is a noted scholar, science historian, and philosopher with the credentials to write authoritatively on this subject."--David Cassidy, author of Uncertainty: The Life and Science of Werner Heisenberg
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Product details
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Princeton University Press (October 27, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 069110297X
ISBN-13: 978-0691102979
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars 25 customer reviews
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Customer reviews
4.4 out of 5 stars
25
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Top customer reviews
Roger A. Hackney
4.0 out of 5 starsGood book depending on what you are after.December 27, 2014
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
Average Rating from me. This book is basically broken down into 3 parts. Part1 paints a picture of what Einstein's childhood upbringing was like and the "religious" factors (as well as schooling, towns lived in, etc.) that may have influenced his beliefs. I found it very interesting and would rate that part a 5 star. Part 2 is specifically about Einstein's very own thoughts on religion based on what little he wrote directly about the matter. I only gave this part 4 stars because the author took the liberty to expound upon what little was actually recorded and I think added a little too much of his own thoughts about what Einstein was meaning. Part 3 is actually described as for people who understand Physics (as in educated in it, of which I am not) and is very technical. I only gave this a 3 star because it really added no value to me. Thus we end with an average of 4 stars.
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Atheen
4.0 out of 5 starsEinstein and ReligionMay 22, 2001
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I bought this book because the title intrigued me. Like so many people, I had assumed Einstein had been an atheist. I have to admit to little previous knowledge of the man beyond his theory of relativity and a few charming stories about his eccentricities, many probably apocryphal. This book certainly provided a nice introduction to the man as human being, intellectual, and philosopher.
One of the most impressive facets of Einstein's life made obvious in Professor Jammer's work was the impact the physicist's pronouncements, even on subjects outside of his professional expertise, had upon the public in general. It was apparent from some of his personal correspondence and from news articles in response to his papers on science and religion that the general public held the man in considerable esteem. There seemed an almost awed reverence for his intellect to the extent that his personal position on a topic as emotional and as arbitrarily individual as religion could assume an almost scientific finality, eliciting the commendations of those who agreed and an almost knee jerk response from those who disagreed. Few remained without an opinion. So potent were Einstein's mere personal, albeit well schooled, philosophical opinions that they could elicit outright attack from those who felt their cherished beliefs were under siege. A theologian as eminent as Dr. Fulton Sheen (later Bishop Sheen) attacked his position on the existence of a personal god as the "sheerest kind of stupidity and nonsense." While a private individual wrote to him suggesting he "take your crazy, fallacious theory of evolution [sic] and go back to Germany where you came from, or stop trying to break down the faith of a people who gave you a welcome...."
It becomes evident when one reads some of Jammer's biographical material on Einstein that the man's impact on the people of his day lay in his character. His honesty, simplicity, and wit, for example, lent him an approachability and charm. His intellectual independence and courage in the face of the opinions of others made him both worthy of admiration and a formidable adversary, almost impervious to criticism. (When one of the propositions arising from his theory was proven correct by experimental results, he was asked what he would have said it hadn't been. His reply was that he would feel sorry for God, because the theory was correct.)
Professor Jammer seems never to tire of repeating Einstein's dictum, "Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind," as though it could somehow make Einstein's position on the subject clearer for the reader. However, much of his supporting documentation, while interesting, leaves one with a nagging feeling that one is no closer to Einstein's sense of religion than one started. In fact one is left with the sense that for Einstein the mere sense of awe over the majesty of the universe and its workings was all the "religion" he needed. He required no formal institutions, no religious acts other than being true to his intellectual curiosity, had no missionary zeal to convert others to his position, and was without a personal need for immortality. If he was asked about the subject of religion he responded with customary honesty; if his response made the asker uncomfortable, that was their problem.
Probably the most interesting part of the book is the final chapter. Here, the subject of Einstein on religion is transposed to religion on Einstein (or at least on his theory of relativity.) Jammer's final chapter deals with some of the more amazing attempts by physicists and theologians to elucidate the existence and character of God by means of physics, in particular by means of the theory of relativity. It certainly casts in high relief the impact of the man on modern day religious thought.
The last chapter also contains philosophical and theological outgrowths of the theory of quantum physics and some of its more esoteric premises. It also looks at the theological implications of the Big Bang theory of cosmology, and mentions the books comparing Eastern religion and quantum theory that were so popular in the late 70s and early 80s (The Tao of Physics and The Dancing Wu-Li Masters among them). As a mental exercise, Jammer tries to analyze what Einstein might have thought about each of these concepts, and generally believes he would have cast a resounding "NO" vote.
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Anthony
5.0 out of 5 starsNot an easy read, but definitely doable for all audiences whom ...August 15, 2017
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Not an easy read, but definitely doable for all audiences whom have received their secondary education if one tries hard enough. To myself, a physics major, it was definitely thought provoking and life altering. Grasping the physical concepts in terms of a philosophical viewpoint is definitely something that challenge the beliefs one holds true.
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Herbert Gintis
4.0 out of 5 starsI learned some things from this bookJanuary 25, 2017
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The first two chapters are very informative. The third is virtually a throw-away
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Tommaso
5.0 out of 5 starsFive StarsMarch 21, 2017
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Good book
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Vern
5.0 out of 5 starsFive StarsApril 28, 2016
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Superservice
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Leo Coale
5.0 out of 5 starsFive StarsSeptember 8, 2015
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Wonderful and scholarly book.
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Kevin J. Rogers
5.0 out of 5 starsA balanced and informative description of Einstein's beliefsMarch 18, 2015
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I thought it was a pretty good summary of Einstein's beliefs. Jammer focused on Einstein's views and did not intrude with his own. I thought it was quite informative and well balanced.
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