Albert Einstein

Mara Beller, Senior Lecturer of the History of Science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, speaks about “the impact of Albert Einstein on the 20th century.” This lecture was organized in collaboration with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Beller describes Einstein as “the builder of the new universe” and “the new basis for most of our science.” She argues that Einstein stands apart from other scientists in terms of his fame and impact on our understanding of science and the universe. She emphasizes the influence of philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer on Einstein and other German intellectuals of his generation. Schopenhauer, according to Belier, embodied the “superior lonely intellectual” and the existential questioning that led Einstein to “the contemplation of the great eternal riddle of the universe.” Beller explains how Einstein came to his theory of relativity and his relentless “quest for unity and the absolute” in his scientific practice. She also reflects on how Einstein, as a cultural figure, still represents our “own needs and hopes” of understanding the universe. The lecture is followed with questions from the audience.