douglas is clearly mistaken on this point as the quotes Andy produces illustrates—pantheism does not posit an “underlying intelligence to this universe”, it is as Dawkins describes it “sexed-up atheism”.
Andy selected a few quotes that show Einstein did not believe in a personal God. Einstein may have been a pantheist, but only to the extent that pantheists can believe in an “underlying intelligence to this universe” -- because from what I can reconstruct from Einstein’s quotes, he did believe in something like that.
“The scientist is possessed by the sense of universal causation. His religious feeling takes the form of a rapturous amazement at the harmony of natural law, which reveals an intelligence of such superiority that , compared with it, all the systematic thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection.”
Also,
“My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble minds. That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power, which is revealed in the incomprehensible universe, forms my idea of God.”
Theist sites claim that Einstein believed in God, and atheist sites claim that he didn’t, and I read the same quotes in both places. Belief in a non-personal God doesn’t seem to have its place, and doesn’t seem to be well-understood.
douglas is clearly mistaken on this point as the quotes Andy produces illustrates—pantheism does not posit an “underlying intelligence to this universe”, it is as Dawkins describes it “sexed-up atheism”.
Andy selected a few quotes that show Einstein did not believe in a personal God. Einstein may have been a pantheist, but only to the extent that pantheists can believe in an “underlying intelligence to this universe” -- because from what I can reconstruct from Einstein’s quotes, he did believe in something like that.
For example, this quote from an atheist site:
Also,
Theist sites claim that Einstein believed in God, and atheist sites claim that he didn’t, and I read the same quotes in both places. Belief in a non-personal God doesn’t seem to have its place, and doesn’t seem to be well-understood.
Hmm, interesting, thanks! I have to conclude that Einstein wasn’t thinking very clearly about the whole thing...