I am not a positivist. Positivism states that what cannot be observed does not exist. This conception is scientifically indefensible, for it is impossible to make valid affirmations of what people ‘can’ or ‘cannot’ observe. One would have to say ‘only what we observe exists,’ which is obviously false.

Albert Einstein#People#Impossible#Affirmation#Positivism#Doe#States#Conception

During the last century, and part of the one before, it was widely held that there was an unreconcilable conflict between knowledge and belief. The opinion prevailed amoung advanced minds that it was time that belief should be replaced increasingly by knowledge; belief that did not itself rest on knowledge was superstition, and as such had to be opposed. According to this conception, the sole function of education was to open the way to thinking and knowing, and the school, as the outstanding organ for the people’s education, must serve that end exclusively.

#Albert Einstein#School#Thinking#Mind#Belief#Opinion#Conflict#Replaced#People#Century#Ends#Function#Knowing#Lasts#Organs#Outstanding#Should#Sole#Superstitions#Way#Conception

The scientific theorist is not to be envied. For Nature, or more precisely experiment, is an exorable and not very friendly judge of his work. It never says “yes” to a theory. In the most favorable cases it says “Maybe,” and in the great majority of cases simply “No.” If an experiment agrees with a theory it means for the latter “Maybe,” and if it does not agree it means “No.” Probably every theory will some day experience its “No” - most theories, soon after conception.

#Albert Einstein#Memorable#Mean#Judging#Friendly#Agree#Working It#Cases#Doe#Experiments#Latter#Majority#Theory#Conception#Ifs#Theorists#Envied

All that’s different about me is that I still ask the questions most people stopped asking at age five.

#Albert Einstein#Education#Learning#People#Age#Different#Asking#Stills#Asks#Five

America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people, troubles will be coming from within and without. America cannot smile away their Negro problem nor Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There are cosmic laws.

#Albert Einstein#Hard Times#People#Democracy#Problem#Trouble#Hiroshima#Cosmic#America#Law#Hard#Hiroshima And Nagasaki

Any brief military advantage the USA might gain with nuclear weapons would be offset by political and psychological losses and damage to American prestige. The United States might even touch off a worldwide armaments race.

#Albert Einstein#Military#Loss#Political#Prestige#Psychological#Nuclear Weapons#Advantage#Armament#Damage#Gains#Might#Nuclear#Race#States#United#United States#Usa#Weapons#Would Be

Any society which does not insist upon respect for all life must necessarily decay.

#Albert Einstein#Decay#Doe#Animal

Artists and creative workers - people who have accomplished work worthwhile have had a very high sense of the way to do things. They haven’t been contented with mediocrity. They haven’t confined themselves to the beaten tracks; they have never been satisfied to do things just as others do them, but always a little better. Few are those who see with their own eyesand feel with their own hearts.

#Albert Einstein#Heart#Artist#People#Track#Creative#Mediocrity#Accomplished#Creative Work#Feels#Littles#Satisfied#Way#Workers#Worthwhile#Beaten#Confined#Havens

As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it.

#Albert Einstein#Knowledge#God#Success#Life#Darkness#Circles#Doe