Albert Einstein letter auctioned for £170,000

On auction at Bloomsbury Auctions in London today (Thursday, May 15, 2008) is a letter written by Albert Einstein to Eric B. Gutkind on 3rd January 1954.

The letter is written in German and is expected to fetch £6,000 to £8,000. A translated quote from the letter:


See the Bloomsbury Auctions item page: 303. Einstein Autograph Letter signed to Eric B. Gutkind

I wonder if AE ever tried developing a mathematical theory that disproved the existence of God? That would be worth a lot more

Karl Popper already covered that aspect actually.

AE frequently described his search for a unified theory/equation as a quest for the mind of God. I'm not religious, nor am I attached to a particular view...but I don't think you can reduce AE's personal relationship to the universe to a proof or negation of one higher power. The search for some kind of explanation of the world seemed to be an important theme in his life.

Maybe, but what it does show you is that one of the most brilliant minds to ever walk upright on the planet thought that God and religion was bollocks.

Yes, that was indeed my primary purpose in posting this. To point out to anyone who had not yet figured it out for themselves, God and all religions are in fact complete bollocks. It beggars belief that today, in 2008, anyone still believes in such "childish supersitions".

Yesterday I posted that the expected sale price was around £8,000. In fact it was sold for £170,000 to an anonymous private collector. Apparently extra phone lines had to be installed to cope with interest from around the world. Telegraph article: Albert Einstein letter sells for a record £170,000

Albert is probably looking down from above and wondering why he ever stuck his tongue out for that photo shot.

Um...but then again I guess he isn't 'cos there is no hell below us, above us only sky.

No. This is actually a shot from later in his career when he decided to become an inventor. He is demonstrating to the patent officer what it is that he has invented. We came to know it as simply "the tongue". Just think, without AE you would not be able to taste food, make rude gestures, or even have the ability to form basic speech patterns. Apparently, he was puzzled that nobody had thought to register the patent sooner, as was the patent office... what a guy!

That thought goes through my mind every time I see that mug shot.

To get a better insight into the great man's mind, here's a comprehensive collection of Einstein quotes, many of them about God and religion. A few examples:








And the source of one of his most famous quotes, often rendered as "God does not play dice":


There's much more in the link - well worth a browse.

Nice to know that my views are the same as the great one.

Ermmm, didn't mean Einstein by the way.

It's very comforting to me that one of the greatest minds in the history of the human race belives that the stories in the Bible are childish.

i agree with albert, and feel in good company with his opion, now just try and tell that to the crazies and the stupids. lots of luck. and remember they will ALWAYS out number the smart people...and now they have guns lots and lots of guns yikes!!!

I'm sure the good people of Chernobyl will find this quote from Einstein comforting then:


And don't overlook this one:


(Both quotes from this list, which is a real treasure trove. Yes, I know, it's Wiki, bla bla, but sources are given.)

And as noted on the Bloomsbury Auctions page:

It wouldn't take Einstein to prove Mary wasn't a virgin.

Good to have the owner of the site off the fence.

If one wishes to compare scientist dick size to back up your own particular view of the "God" topic ,you'll find yourself seriously outmatched however :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton

"In view of such harmony in the cosmos which I, with my limited human mind, am able to recognize, there are yet people who say there is no God. But what really makes me angry is that they quote me for the support of such views." - Albert Einstein

Great! Now both God and Einstein are angry! Way to go.

The problem is the very simple equation that proves you can never disprove God.

False & False = True

How childish!

Childish is believing in invisible sky gods, something that Einstein most certainly did not believe in..

thats why they say everything twice i guess..

(False & false -- just to make it a true)

lol

My 3 Principles of live

1)Try to help others

2) Enjoy your freedom as long as it does not harm any body ..

3) Dont Waste your time on arguing whether he exists or not..

Because i think he is too lazy to care too...
Have fun..

Nice to have some live principles there

Spinoza's "substance" is the way to go. A better moniker for god or nature.

It's the old argument concerning the rejection of organised religion for a belief system that interprets the universe in an adult fashion, without rejecting the possibility of powers at work that outstrip our meagre understanding. Einstein saw that, which was why atheists pissed him off. He believed in a god but rejected God.

Only the weak of mind can't make up their own mind and need some"body" to do it for them. To allow a system that has systematically lied, raped and pillaged the world for the last 1,500 years to make these decisions is, well, at best amusing and at worst a prime example of the fallibility of humans and their inherent ability to believe bullshit.

God is dead; long live god (or substance;))