The solution to this problem lies in the heart of mankind. If only I had known, I should have become a watchmaker. (1945)
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Einstein regrets the destructive impact of his work and wishes he had chosen a harmless profession.
- In plain terms
- He wishes he had been a watchmaker instead of a scientist who contributed to bombs.
- What can you take from it?
- Professions have moral consequences.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What career would you choose if money did not matter?
- How do you weigh science against ethics?
Another view
Watchmaking also serves society so the comparison is somewhat idealized.
More from Albert Einstein
The unleashed power of the atom has changed everything save our modes of thinking and we thus drift toward unparalleled catastrophe.
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