Freud And Einstein

[newchristian99]

Hi i have a few questions regarding Freud and Einstein. If i have posted in the wrong forum area then i apologise and hope it can be moved along.

Regarding Sigmund Freud and Albert Einstein. Were either of them of a religious persuasion or were they practising atheists? I read somewhere that Carl Jung was more spiritual but Freud rejected christianity and so did Einstein (both incidently were Jews i think).

Any thoughts or discussion on these two great minds and their beliefs?

 

[dayhiker]

I think your right that both were Jewish. From the reading I've don't I think Einstein would be considered an agnostic as he made some comments about God in a generic sense.

dayhiker

 

[AsTruthUnfolds]

Judaism shares some of the characteristics of a nation, an ethnicity, a religion, and a culture, making the definition of who is a Jew vary slightly depending on whether a religious or national approach to identity is used.

My Father's side of the family consist of practicing and non-practicing Jews and the non-practicing Jews view their Judaism more as a ethnicity and culture rather than a religion.

I am not sure it would be correct to label either man as Jew concerning their religious beliefs.

I am can only speak for Einstein and not Frued. IMO, I think Einstein lied somewhere between a Deist and Agnostic. He never really came to a conclusion about "God". During Einstein's life his beliefs changed and were never dogmatic.

 

[Dannager]

From what I know of Einstein, it sounds like he was at least notably spiritual but kept that part of his life rather private save a few choice comments.

 

[R3quiem]

Both came from Jewish backgrounds.

Freud was an atheist.

Einstein's views were a bit complex. He often had a view how the universe "should" be made, because he seemed to believe that it was made intelligently. For example, he completely disagreed with the idea of quantum mechanics and their inherent randomness simply because he didn't think that the universe would be made that way. It is about that that he made his famous quote, "God does not play dice!", meaning that God wouldn't leave things to chance. However, from what I've read of his works, I don't think he believed in a personal god like Christians do. I think he believed in more of an overall unity to the universe, with or without a consciousness. He discussed how "primitive" religions have a religion of fear, and then it gradually evolved into Judaism and Christianity, which he had more respect for and called religions of morals. He also highly favored Buddhism. He'd probably be considered an agnostic who believes that SOMETHING is there, without knowing exactly what.

 

[AsTruthUnfolds]

Both came from Jewish backgrounds.

Freud was an atheist.

Einstein's views were a bit complex. He often had a view how the universe "should" be made, because he seemed to believe that it was made intelligently. For example, he completely disagreed with the idea of quantum mechanics and their inherent randomness simply because he didn't think that the universe would be made that way. It is about that that he made his famous quote, "God does not play dice!", meaning that God wouldn't leave things to chance. However, from what I've read of his works, I don't think he believed in a personal god like Christians do. I think he believed in more of an overall unity to the universe, with or without a consciousness. He discussed how "primitive" religions have a religion of fear, and then it gradually evolved into Judaism and Christianity, which he had more respect for and called religions of morals. He also highly favored Buddhism. He'd probably be considered an agnostic who believes that SOMETHING is there, without knowing exactly what.

I agree that Einstein is complex and hard to pin point with respect to religion.

I would love to discuss or have you reference that "primitive" religions had a religion of fear and then gradually evolved into Judaism and Christianity, which he had more respect for and called them religions of morals.

Have religion stopped evolving and does Christianity have a monopoly on religion? You admit that religions evolve, so why stop now even if judeo-christianity is relatively moral.

From my experience Christianity is more fear based than Judaism.

 

[KerrMetric]

Einstein did not believe in a personal God. He stated this several times and even wrote it in letters a few times.

 

[AsTruthUnfolds]

I hate for this to get messy, but why is Einstein going to hell when you are not?

 

[irateional]

Einstein was a pantheist. That's about the closest description of his beliefs that you can get. He certainly wasn't a believer in a dogmatic religion if that's what you're asking. While he was knowledgeable in various religions, he believed that God existed in the physical laws and aspects of nature. Hence, the reasons for his refusal of quantum physics (God doesn't play dice).