Blog 17

Einstein’s viewpoint showed that he was a true scientist in many ways. He states that ideals, such as “Kindness, Beauty, and Truth”, have paved his way for scientific success. In addition, he relates to the topics discussed in Dr. Pennock’s chapters, as they both believe that mystery (which is denoted as curiosity in Dr. Pennock’s book), is “the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science.” This curiosity is what fuels scientific inquiry. Albert valued the idea of making discoveries that would promote the “good of his fellows”. Additionally, he understood that creative individuals are necessary for the progression of science. I believe that these values are of the utmost importance because without a creative mind and a group of people relying on you, scientists are not able to progress and make new discoveries about the world.

Moreover, part one of his book had many interesting points in regards to education, religion, and friendship. In particular, the notion that the school system is affecting our intellectual freedom seemed very relevant to me. He explains how the development of science “may be characterized as inward freedom.” Furthermore, he claims that “schools may interfere with the development of inward freedom through authoritarian influences and through imposing on young people excessive spiritual burdens…” I think that our school system does certain things that prevent creativeness, but I think that there is a baseline of knowledge that is required before creativity can fully be expressed by a scientist. This previous quote brings us to the thought of how religion and science interact. Einstein believed that these were “irreconcilable antagonists” due to the fact that religion promotes fear of punishment. When a fear of punishment is what is causing scientists to reconsider how they conduct their experiments, this directly hinders the progression of science to discover the truths about the world. Another key part of this chapter, was on the role of friendship in science. He mentions multiple friends, such as Arnold Berliner, that helped further scientific discovery. I think that this is vital for raising the standard for improving research for the better. In closing, Einstein recognized key values, institutions, and mindsets that are vital for the progression of science as a whole.