Ethos, Logos, And Purpose In Albert Einstein's Letter

397 Words1 Page

In 1936 a sixth-grade student by the name of Phyllis Wright wondered if scientists pray, and if so, what for. She decided to ask one of the greatest scientists of all time, Albert Einstein. A while later he wrote a letter back to Phyllis with his response. Understanding the context and purpose of his response assist in analyzing its effectiveness. After receiving a letter from such a young student, Einstein aimed to provide Phyllis with a comprehensible answer. He intended for his response not to sway her in one way or another, but to explain science and religion do not necessarily contradict each other completely. By using appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos, Einstein achieved his purpose by articulating a response suitable for a sixth grade

Show More
Related

  • Summary Of Andy Crouch Delight In Creation

    266 Words  | 1 Pages

    Science and faith are generally viewed as two topics that do not intermingle. However, Andy Crouch’s work, Delight in Creation, suggests that there is an approach to both faith and science that allows support of scientists in the church community. There is an approach that can regard science as a career that can reflect the nature of God.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Phyllis Wright's Letter To Albert Einstein

    576 Words  | 2 Pages

    Have you ever questioned scientists religious beliefs? A young girl asked, and got a vague answer. Phyllis Wright, a sixth grade girl, wrote to Albert Einstein, asking him if scientists pray, and if they did, what they would pray for. When reading Einstein’s response, you get a very unclear answer to this question most people think about. The speaker of this letter is Albert Einstein; a man who is widely considered the greatest scientist of the twentieth century. The attended audience at the beginning was just Wright, and maybe some of her peers. Today, the intended audience is anyone who is interested on this topic along with high school students. Einstein uses multiple literary devices throughout his letter, including ethos, logos, and pathos, to answer the young girl's question about praying.

    Read More

  • Emerson’s Unifying Philosophy

    1130 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout human existence, scholars have earnestly pursued knowledge and the attainment of truth. Historical figures such as Plato, Descartes, and Emerson sought answers to daunting questions of: ‘What is truth?’; ‘What is reality?’; ‘How is wisdom acquired?’ Many scholars believe these philosophers presented conflicting viewpoints: Plato encouraging skepticism among all previous historical, cultural, and personal perspectives; Descartes questioning definitions of reality and his very existence; Emerson encouraging self-trust and confidence in one’s ideals, opinions, and convictions. Surprisingly, reconciliation can be reached from these three differing hypotheses. Emerson’s thesis merely expounds from Descartes and Plato’s philosophies. He builds from Descartes’ search for self-identity and reconciles Plato’s skepticism with his views of self-trust and unconformity among scholars.

    Read More

  • Intersecting Paths: Religion and Science in 'The Star'

    745 Words  | 2 Pages

    Religion and Science are two conflicting forces that guide our rationality and our beliefs. Science takes a more practical and concrete approach to finding the answers to our questions through testing and evidence. Religion is centered on our minds and human spirituality and finding answers to things from our own perspective and ideology. However different they may be they serve the same purpose in our society; it is a means to answer some of the burning questions that we do not have answers to. The short story, “The Star” by Arthur C. Clarke plays on the idea of the two vastly different ideas and intertwining and portraying the narrator as both a scientific and religious figure. The narrator firmly believes that the two ideas are truly connected but faces a revelation and that forces him to rethink about his ideology.

    Read More

  • Science And Religion In Edward O. Wilson's Intelligent Evolution

    1132 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Each subject has a legitimate magisterium, or domain of teaching authority—and these magisteria do not overlap” (19), writes Stephen Jay Gould in Non-Overlapping Magisteria. Accordingly, the efforts to persuade the other side are both futile. Fear aroused from such futility often leads to vigorous resistance to the other. Wilson denounces the “toxic” nature of religion and proposes scientific humanism as “the effective antidote, the light and the way at last placed before us” (556). Wilson sees scientific humanism as “the only worldview” compatible with the real world, and refuses rapprochement, which is “neither possible nor desirable” (556). However, I believe that rapprochement can be achieved when science and religion understand their

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Einstein's 'Whether Or Not Scientists Pray?'

    583 Words  | 2 Pages

    In his response to a question asked by sixth grade student Phyllis regarding “Whether or not scientists pray?”, Einstein successfully employs rhetorical methods such as tone, diction, ethos, and logos to support and make the claim that scientists do not pray. By doing so he makes for a well written and rhetorically effective response. Einstein effectively utilizes logos in his writing by stating facts and calling upon logical reasoning to support his claim: that scientists do not pray. An example of this can be found in the first paragraph, where he writes, “... a research scientist will hardly be inclined to believe that events could be influenced by a prayer”. He backs up this claim using logical reasoning, “Scientific research is based on the idea that everything takes place is determined by laws of nature”.

    Read More

  • What Is Albert Einstein's Wisdom To Change The World?

    939 Words  | 2 Pages

    As people develop new experiences and gain wisdom throughout their lives, their viewpoints will inevitably change. Many people may experience an event that alters their perspective on the world. Others may not change their viewpoint based on an experience, but such an experience can make them feel even more strongly about their cause. The former of these two descriptions applies to Albert Einstein; while known primarily for being a “genius” throughout most of his life, he changed his beliefs upon witnessing the rise of Adolf Hitler and used his wisdom to change the world as it is currently known. The latter applies to Rosa Parks; while she had fought hard as a civil rights activist before she refused to give up her seat on the bus on that

    Read More

  • What Is Epistemology?

    1380 Words  | 3 Pages

    Theology and science tend to go hand in hand in epistemological philosophy. The process of scientific inquiry in itself is epistemology. Studying religion and the ideas of God also directly relate to the study of knowledge and opinion. How much can be known about God? Is there evidence to rectify the existence of such an all-powerful being? If so, what would count? These questions have quickly become the epitome of my educational journey and are what I have been struggling to decipher. However, through exploration of this course and its included texts, I have reached an understanding; science and religion are not only compatible, but also mutually exclusive. Each idea substantiates the other and gives rise to the other, and for this reason

    Read More

  • Compare and Contrast of Stephen Jay Gould and Richard Dawkins´s Points of View on Science and Religion

    1095 Words  | 3 Pages

    “The lack of conflict between science and religion arises from a lack of overlap between their respective domains of professional expertise—science in the empirical constitution of the universe, and religion in the search for proper ethical values and the spiritual meaning of our lives. The attainment of wisdom in a full life requires extensive attention to both domains—for a great book tells us that the truth can make us free and that we will live in optimal harmony with our fellows when we learn to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly.”

    Read More

  • The Philosophy of Erich Fromm

    1138 Words  | 3 Pages

    Philosopher Erich Fromm was born in the early 20th century and could witness all of its major developments (Cherry). Not only did it bring technological progress and new ideologies, but also bitter fruits of war unseen by mankind before. He contemplated the motives behind aggression and violence which led him to the study of psychology and sociology (Cherry). Fromm’s last work, “To Have or to Be” (1976), is the culmination of his strive to find and explain the purpose of human life. He perceived our existence as being driven by either the having or the being mode and explained this idea by using psychological finds merged with sociological evidence.

    Read More

  • Science and the Christian Church

    335 Words  | 1 Pages

    The relationship between science and the Christian Church has never been viewed as a positive one. The Christian Church has often been ostracized for their role in the history of science, and to some degree is most commonly held responsible for most, if not all the struggles that science had to undergo to achieve it's status today. In David Lindberg's article titled "Science and the Christian Church" Lindberg explores this idea by not taking sides with the Christian church, or the sciences, but by examining other possible explanations as to why the scientific struggle was so hard.

    Read More

  • Christianity and Islamic Religions: A Blessing or a Curse Part 3

    918 Words  | 2 Pages

    Galadari, A. (2011). Science vs. religion: The debate ends.The International Journal of Science in Society,2(2), Retrieved from http://science-society.com/journal/

    Read More

  • Albert Einstein: Creator and Rebel

    2912 Words  | 6 Pages

    In the study of a scientist's life, it is important to recognize several key elements. Scientific contributions are of utmost importance. Following mention of those, it is then possible to look at his or her life, family, and religion as well. However, for Albert Einstein, these elements must all be looked at collectively. Einstein will no doubt go down in history as a great theoretical physicist. His work is compared in importance to that of scientists such as Galileo Galilei, Nicolas Copernicus, Johannes Kepler, and Isaac Newton. Some would even say that his contributions to science were greater. However, it is impossible to paint a complete picture of Einstein without examining his life, his religion, and his personality. His science was his life, and his religion gave him insights as to how to approach science. By observing his innate curiosity, desire for simplicity and elegance, humble outlook, and desire to seek answers, we can see what elements reached the center of his being.

    Read More

  • The Life of Albert Einstein

    1885 Words  | 4 Pages

    Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879, in Southern Germany. One year after his birth his fathers business failed, so the family moved to Munich, and began a new business manufacturing electrical parts. His parents Hermann and Pauline were of Jewish descent, but were very lax regarding religion. The Einstein’s sent Albert to a Catholic grade school.

    Read More

  • The Life of Albert Einstein

    1365 Words  | 3 Pages

    Two years after graduating from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Einstein got a job working for the Swiss patent office based in Bern. While the work required a great deal of his attention, he managed to produce a great many publications on theoretical Physics. Primarily he worked on these in his spare time and without very much other scientific literature or colleagues to discuss with. He gained his Ph.D. Degree in 1905 by submitting one of these papers to the University of Zurich. Then another paper submission in 1908 gained him a position at the University of Bern as a lecturer. A year later he was appointed as associate professor of physics at the University of Zurich.

    Read More

More about Ethos, Logos, And Purpose In Albert Einstein's Letter

Open Document