Common to all these types is the anthropomorphic character of their conception of God. In general, only individuals of exceptional endowments, and exceptionally high-minded communities, rise to any considerable extent above this level. But there is a third stage of religious experience which belongs to all of them, even though it is rarely found in a pure form: I shall call it cosmic religious feeling. It is very difficult to elucidate this feeling to anyone who is entirely without it, especially as there is no anthropomorphic conception of God corresponding to it.

Albert Einstein#Feelings#Character#Difficult#Individual#Community#Religious#Common#Cosmic#Exceptional#Endowment#Form#Found#Levels#Stage#Thirds#Type#Conception#Corresponding#Pure#Religious Experience

It is very difficult to explain this feeling to anyone who is entirely without it, especially as there is no anthropomorphic conception of God corresponding to it. The individual feels the nothingness of human desires and aims and the sublimity and marvelous order which reveal themselves both in Nature and in the world of though. He looks upon individual existence as a sort of prison and wants to experience the universe as a single significant whole.

#Albert Einstein#Feelings#World#Aim#Difficult#Individual#Significant#Prison#Existence#Desire#Nothingness#Universe#Feels#Humans#Looks#Order#Want#Conception#Corresponding#Marvelous#Sublimity#Whole

I am an adherent of the ideal of democracy, although I well know the weaknesses of the democratic form of government. Social equality and economic protection of the individual appeared to me always as the important communal aims of the state. Although I am a typical loner in daily life, my consciousness of belonging to the invisible community of those who strive for truth, beauty, and justice has preserved me from feeling isolated.

#Albert Einstein#Justice#Community#Feelings#Loner#Democracy#Important#Weakness#Consciousness#Daily Life#Protection#Invisible#Truth Is#Economic#Individual#Strive#Democratic#Aim#Thrive#Belonging#Social Equality#Social#Form#Forms Of Government#Government#Isolated#States#Typical#Wells#Ideals#Knows

I assert that the cosmic religious experience is the strongest and the noblest driving force behind scientific research.

#Albert Einstein#Religion#Science#Driving#Religious#Scientific Research#Cosmic#Behinds#Force#Research#Strongest#Driving Force#Religious Experience

In my view, it is the most important function of art and science to awaken this feeling and keep it alive in those who are capable of it.

#Albert Einstein#Religious#Art#Feelings#Important#Cosmic#Art And Science#Alive#Function

The most beautiful emotion we can experience is the mystical. It is the power of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead. To know that what is impenetrable to us really exists, manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty, which our dull faculties can comprehend only in their most primitive forms - this knowledge, this feeling, is at the center of true religiousness. In this sense, and in this sense only, I belong to the rank of devoutly religious men.

#Albert Einstein#God#Religion#Science#Death#Beautiful#Religious#Art#Emotional#Men#Feelings#Emotion#Wonder#Stranger#Mystical#Manifest#Primitive#Art And Science#Awe#Dull#Faculty#Form#Highest#Radiant#Radiant Beauty#Knows#Truth And Knowledge#Awe And Wonder#Wonder And Mystery#Primitive Man#Religion God#Existence

After a certain high level of technical skill is achieved science and art tend to coalesce in aesthetics, plasticity, and form. The greatest scientists are artists as well.

#Albert Einstein#Art#Artist#Scientist#Art And Science#Aesthetics#Certain#Form#Levels#Plasticity#Skills#Wells#High Level#Technical Skills#Art And Technology#Great Science

Although I am a typical loner in my daily life, my awareness of belonging to the invisible community of those who strive for truth, beauty, and justice has prevented me from feelings of isolation.

#Albert Einstein#Truth#Awareness#Feelings#Daily Life#Isolation#Justice#Community#Strive#Loner#Invisible#Belonging#Typical

Communities tend to be guided less than individuals by conscience and a sense of responsibility. How much misery does this fact cause mankind! It is the source of wars and every kind of oppression, which fill the earth with pain, sighs and bitterness.

#Albert Einstein#Pain#War#Responsibility#Community#Earth#Bitterness#Morality#Ethics#Misery#Kind#Oppression#Individual#Mankind#Sigh#Sense Of Responsibility#Conscience#Causes#Doe#Facts#Source