Einstein’s God

There are two Albert Einstein quotes that I would like to discuss.

1. “What really interests me is whether God had any choice in the creation of the world.”

2. “God does not play dice with the universe”

Einstein did not believe in God. He used the term as a metaphor for the laws of physics. He saw these laws of physics, and the mathematical order of the Universe itself as God. The creator. He even called his beliefs a cosmic religion.

I am not going to talk about theology. What I do want to talk about is what I think Einstein meant in making these statements. This also dove tales into the debate on whether or not math is a discovery or a invention.

The idea or concept of number, would be exactly the same in any possible universe or continuum. No matter what you call it, or how you notate it, one object plus another object would be two objects. This by default, leads to all of the mathematical laws we both know and don’t know, again regardless of how we describe it. It is an empirical truth. To us, to aliens, to the universe, even to God. I believe this is what Einstein was really getting at with the first quote.

The second quote about dice of course refers to Quantum Mechanics, going on to call it a incomplete theory at best. Why did he think this way when much of Quantum Mechanics has his name all over it? I think for the same reason as the first quote. More specifically, his understanding of how numerical and ordered the Universe is, lead him to conclude that even the most mysterious phenomena we observe must have numerical or mathematical rules yet to be understood. Not “Spooky action at a distance”.

For all intensive purposes, Science and Math, itself has become a form of religion. It is plagued with dogmas and resistance to new ideas or different perspectives. There is a deep disrespect and distain to outsiders. One only need look at the treatment of Nikola Tesla to see proof of this. We live in a world that literally runs on Tesla’s ideas, scientific discoveries and inventions. Yet, the mere mention of his name evokes the term “Woo Science”. It is an inexplicable paradox that in my opinion dramatically limits any kind of true understanding we will ever have about anything.

Brimstone and fire rained down when I first posted the SyPi equation to a group on a Facebook group and it was outright blocked on reddit. How dare I question Pi!. It’s just irrational! Of course the argument is made that Science and Math require this degree of rigor. While there is some truth to this. Rigor must mean testing theories and running the numbers, not being close minded and dismissive.