Chris Green writes: >Quoting [email protected]:
>> I was intrigued for two reasons by this quote which John Kulig >> appended to his recent post: > >>> Religion without science is blind; science without religion is >>>lame - A. Einstein >The line is a joke -- a spoof on Kant's famous >claim: "Thoughts without content are empty, >intuitions without concepts are blind," form >the Critique of Pure Reason. Thanks for the info, Chris. I've long been familiar with that statement of Einstein's, but had no idea that it was a paraphrase of Kant's words. But I think you might agree with me that "spoof" is not quite the right word, more like a play on Kant's words. (Can anyone come up with a better way of expressing it?) We know that Einstein had read *The Critique of Pure Reason* when he was a child, because this is reported in Max Talmey's memoir of Einstein. Talmey was a medical student that the Einsteins (living in Munich) invited around every week as he was away from home. Einstein was about ten and a half years old when Talmey started visiting, while Talmey was eleven years older. Talmey reports that a close fellowship soon developed between them "due to the young boy's exceptional intelligence which enabled him to discuss subjects far above the comprehension of children of his age." As he showed a particular interest in physics Talmey gave him two popular books on physical science to read. When Einstein was eleven, Talmey gave him a book on geometry, and at first helped him solve the difficult problems. After he had worked through this book in a few months he went on to study a higher level of mathematics: "Soon the flight of his mathematical genius was so high that I could no longer follow." They also got around to discussing philosophy, and when Einstein was thirteen Talmey recommended Kant: "Kant became Albert's favourite philosopher after he had read through his *Critique of Pure Reason* and the works of other philosophers." Max Talmey: "The Relativity Theory Simplified and the Formative Period of its Inventor." Falcon Press, 1932, pp. 161-164. Allen Esterson Former lecturer, Science Department Southwark College, London [email protected] http://www.esterson.org --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=1142 or send a blank email to leave-1142-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
