I'm not an atheist and I don't think I can call myself a pantheist. We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many different languages. The child knows someone must have written those books. It does not know how. The child dimly suspects a mysterious order in the arrangement of the books but doesn't know what it is. That, it seems to me, is the attitude of even the most intelligent human being toward God. We see a universe marvelously arranged and obeying certain laws, but only dimly understand these laws. Our limited minds cannot grasp the mysterious force that moves the constellations. I am fascinated by Spinoza's pantheism, but admire even more his contributions to modern thought because he is the first philosopher to deal with the soul and the body as one, not two separate things.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Einstein describes his spiritual view as awe at the universe's order without claiming full understanding of God or specific dogma.
- In plain terms
- He feels like a child in a library who senses order but does not understand the books.
- What can you take from it?
- Remain humble about what you know regarding the universe and God.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What limits do you see in human understanding?
- How do you view the order of the universe?
Another view
The analogy may oversimplify complex theological positions.
More from Albert Einstein
I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the worl…
Permalink to quote #18 I believe in intuition and inspiration. Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, …
Permalink to quote #20 If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music... I do know t…
Permalink to quote #17
Related quotes
It was, of course, a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal God and I h…
Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein quote #55 'The exploration of both the micro and the macro cosmos, is a song to God's glory, which is reflected in everything in the universe.'
John Paul II (Pope)John Paul II (Pope) quote #11 No one has a monopoly of the true God, nor is there a nation or religion that can claim, or at any rate prove, that it has been given the exclusive right to th…
Jose RizalJose Rizal quote #18