Albert Einstein on the Secret of Western Science

“Development of Western science is based on two great achievements: the invention of the formal logical system (in Euclidean geometry) by the Greek philosophers, and the discovery of the possibility to find out causal relationships by systematic experiment (during the Renaissance). In my opinion one has not to be astonished that the Chinese sages have not made those steps. The astonishing thing is that those discoveries were made at all.”

        — Letter to J.S. Switzer, April 23, 1953; Einstein Archive 61-381

Permission granted by the Albert Einstein Archives, The Jewish National & University Library, The Hebrew University Jerusalem, Israel.

(Note: Use of quotations by Einstein (regardless of source) in a publication requires permission from The Albert Einstein Archives (aearequests@savion.huji.ac.il).