Coincidence keeps God anonymous.

Albert Einstein

When the publishing house received the first copy of the book, curious employees decided to determine the personal Symbols of their day. I got the symbol - Trap ... In the late frosty evening, the balcony door slammed shut and for more than an hour I could not get into the apartment ...

Has anything similar happened to you?

In 1838, the American writer Edgar Allan Poe wrote The Tale of the Adventures of Arthur Gordon Pym. It tells about how, after a shipwreck, four survivors ended up on the high seas. Driven to despair by hunger, three of them kill and eat the fourth. In the book, his name is Richard Parker. In 1884, the ship "Magnonette" was shipwrecked. The four survivors, like the heroes of Edgar Allan Poe, ended up in the same boat. After many days of wandering around the sea, mad with hunger, three kill and eat the fourth. The name of this fourth turned out to be Richard Parker.

Residents of a Scottish village watched the film "Around the World in 80 Days" at a local cinema. At the moment when the movie characters got into the basket of the balloon and chopped off the rope, a strange crack was heard. It turned out that a balloon fell on the roof of the cinematograph ... exactly the same as in the cinema, a balloon! And that was in 1965.

fatal kimono

In the 17th century, an amazing story took place in Japan, the main role in which was played by ... an ordinary children's kimono. All three teenage girls who were given this ill-fated kimono died before they even had time to put it on. Soon, rumors spread around the city that evil fate was clearly weighing on him. In February 1657, the priest decided to prevent further evil from the kimono by setting the thing on fire. But as soon as he set fire to it, a sudden strong gust of wind fanned the fire, and very soon the flame completely got out of people's control. The consequences of this bold act of the priest turned out to be unpredictable and tragic: three-quarters of Tokyo burned out in a fire, 300 temples, 500 palaces, 9,000 shops and 61 bridges were destroyed, 100,000 people died ...

When American astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped on the surface of the moon, the first thing he said was: "I wish you success, Mr. Gorski!" The phrase meant this. As a child, Armstrong accidentally overheard a neighbors quarrel - a married couple named Gorsky. Mrs. Gorsky scolded her husband: "It's more likely that the neighbor's boy flies to the moon than you satisfy a woman!" And here you are, a coincidence! Neil really went to the moon!

On December 5, 1664, a passenger ship sank off the coast of Wales. All crew members and passengers were killed, except for one. The lucky one was named Hugh Williams. More than a century later, on December 5, 1785, another ship was wrecked on the same spot. And once again, the only person saved by the name of ... Hugh Williams. In 1860, again on the fifth of December, a fishing schooner sank here. Only one fisherman survived. And his name was Hugh Williams!

One day the great Marcello Mastroianni was invited to a party. In the midst of the fun, the actor suddenly jumped up and sang the forgotten old song "The house where I was so happy burned down." Before he could finish singing it to the end, he was informed by telephone that his villa in Menton had burned down. Subsequently, Marcello said that the last time he performed the song was at school age.

Two cars collided on a suburban Italian highway. However, both drivers were not injured. To celebrate, they decided to get acquainted and ... called the same name and surname. Both were named Giacomo Felice, which, by the way, means "happy" in translation!

In the 30s of the last century, Joseph Figlock, a resident of the city of Detroit, walked down the street, and, as they say, did not touch anyone. Suddenly, from the window of a multi-storey building, literally, a one-year-old child fell on Joseph's head. Both participants in the incident escaped with a slight fright. Later it turned out that the young and careless mother simply forgot to close the window, and the curious child climbed onto the windowsill and, instead of dying, ended up in the hands of her stunned involuntary savior. Miracle, you say? What do you call what happened exactly one year later? Joseph was walking down the street, not touching anyone, and suddenly from the window of a multi-storey building, literally, the same child fell on his head! Both participants in the incident again escaped with a slight fright.

In 1966, four-year-old Roger Losier almost drowned in the sea near the American city of Salem. Luckily, he was saved by a woman named Alice Blaze. In 1974, Roger, who was already 12, repaid a favor for a favor - at the same place he saved a drowning man who turned out to be ... Alice Blaze's husband.

In 1898, the writer Morgan Robertson in the novel "Futility" described the death of the giant ship "Titan" after a collision with an iceberg on its first voyage ... In 1912, 14 years later, the UK launched the ship "Titanic", and in luggage one passenger (of course quite by accident) was the book "Futility" about the death of the "Titan". Everything written in the book came true, literally all the details of the disaster coincided: an unimaginable hype in the press was raised around both ships even before they went to sea because of their huge size. Both of the supposedly unsinkable ships hit the ice mountain in April with a host of celebrities on board. And in both cases, the accident very quickly escalated into a disaster due to the captain's negligence and lack of rescue equipment ... The book "Futility" with a detailed description of the ship sank with him.

In 1939, in the Atlantic region, where the Titanic sank, another ship, the Titanian, sailed at night. Suddenly, the inner instinct prompted something to the helmsman, and he gave the command "stop the car." When the ship stopped and those on duty began to express dissatisfaction with the delay, a huge iceberg suddenly emerged from the darkness and dealt a strong, but, fortunately, no longer fatal blow to the hull ...

The most famous copy people who lived at the same time are Hitler and Roosevelt. Of course, they were very different in appearance, moreover, they were enemies, but their biographies were in many ways similar. In 1933, both received power with a difference of only one day. The day of the inauguration of US President Roosevelt coincided with the vote in the German Reichstag on granting dictatorial powers to Hitler. Roosevelt and Hitler took their countries out of a deep crisis for exactly six years, then each of them led the country to prosperity (in their understanding). Both died in April 1945 with a difference of 18 days, being in a state of irreconcilable war with each other ...

Writer Yevgeny Petrov had a strange and rare hobby: all his life he collected envelopes... from his own letters! He did it this way - he sent a letter to some country. Everything except the name of the state, he invented - the city, street, house number, name of the addressee, so after a month and a half the envelope returned to Petrov, but already decorated with multi-colored foreign stamps, the main one of which was: "The addressee is incorrect." But in April 1939, the writer decided to disturb the New Zealand Post Office. He came up with a city called "Hydebirdville", "Rightbeach" street, "7" house and the addressee "Merrill Augene Weisley". In the letter itself, Petrov wrote in English: “Dear Merrill! Please accept our sincere condolences on the passing of Uncle Pete. Brace yourself, old man. Forgive me for not writing for a long time. I hope Ingrid is all right. Kiss my daughter for me. She's probably quite big. Your Eugene. More than two months have passed, but the letter with the appropriate mark has not been returned. Deciding that it was lost, Evgeny Petrov began to forget about it. But then August came, and he waited ... for a response letter. At first, Petrov decided that someone had played a joke on him in his own spirit. But when he read the return address, he was in no mood for jokes. The envelope said: "New Zealand, Hydebirdville, Wrightbeach 7, Merrill Augene Weisley."

And all this was confirmed by a blue postmark "New Zealand, Hydebirdville Post". The text of the letter read: “Dear Eugene! Thank you for your condolences. The ridiculous death of Uncle Pete knocked us out of the rut for six months. I hope you will forgive the delay in writing. Ingrid and I often think back to those two days you were with us. Gloria is very big and will go to the 2nd grade in the fall. She still keeps the bear you brought her from Russia.” Petrov had never traveled to New Zealand, and therefore he was all the more amazed to see a man in a photograph of a strong build who was hugging ... himself, Petrov! On the reverse side of the picture was written: "October 9, 1938." Here the writer almost became ill - after all, it was on that day that he was admitted to the hospital in an unconscious state with severe pneumonia. Then, for several days, doctors fought for his life, not hiding from his relatives that he had almost no chance of surviving. To deal with these misunderstandings, or mysticism, Petrov wrote another letter to New Zealand, but he did not wait for an answer: the Second World War had begun. E. Petrov from the first days of the war became a war correspondent for Pravda and the Information Bureau. Colleagues did not recognize him - he became withdrawn, thoughtful, and stopped joking altogether.

In 1942, the plane on which he flew to the combat area disappeared, most likely, was shot down over enemy territory. And on the day the news of the plane's disappearance was received, Petrov's Moscow address received a letter from Merrill Weisley. Weisley admired the courage of the Soviet people and expressed concern for the life of Yevgeny himself. In particular, he wrote: “I got scared when you started swimming in the lake. The water was very cold. But you said you were destined to crash your plane, not drown. I beg you, be careful - fly as little as possible.

On December 5, 1664, a passenger ship sank off the coast of Wales. All crew members and passengers were killed, except for one. The lucky one was named Hugh Williams. More than a century later, on December 5, 1785, another ship was wrecked on the same spot. And once again a single person named... Hugh Williams was saved. In 1860, again on the fifth of December, a fishing schooner sank here. Only one fisherman survived. And his name was Hugh Williams!

Louis XVI was predicted to die on the 21st. The frightened king on the 21st day of each month sat locked in his bedroom, did not receive anyone, did not appoint any business. But the precautions were in vain! On June 21, 1791, Louis and his wife Marie Antoinette were arrested. On September 21, 1792, a republic was proclaimed in France and royal power was abolished. And on January 21, 1793, Louis XVI was executed.

Henry Siegland was sure that he could circle fate around his finger. In 1883, he broke with his beloved, who, unable to bear the separation, committed suicide. The girl's brother, beside himself with grief, grabbed a gun, tried to kill Henry, and believing that the bullet had hit its mark, he shot himself. However, Henry survived: the bullet only slightly grazed his face and entered the trunk of a tree. A few years later, Henry decided to cut down the ill-fated tree, but the trunk was too large, and the task seemed impossible. Then Siegland decided to blow up the tree with a few sticks of dynamite. From the explosion, the bullet, which was still sitting in the trunk of the tree, broke free and hit ... right in the head of Henry, killing him on the spot.

Stories about twins are always impressive, especially this one about two twin brothers from Ohio. Their parents died when the babies were only a few weeks old. They were adopted by different families and the twins were separated in infancy. From here begins a series of incredible coincidences. Let's start with the fact that both foster families, without consulting and unaware of each other's plans, called the boys the same name - James. The brothers grew up unaware of the existence of each other, but both received a law degree, both were excellent draftsmen and carpenters, and both married women with the same name Linda. Each of the brothers had sons. One brother named his son James Alan, and the second - James Allan. Then both brothers left their wives and remarried women...with the same name Betty! Each of them was the owner of a dog with the name Toy ... you can continue endlessly. At the age of 40, they learned about each other, met and were amazed that all the time of forced separation they lived one life for two.

In 2002, seventy-year-old twin brothers died an hour apart in two unrelated traffic accidents on the same highway in northern Finland! Police representatives claim that there have been no accidents on this section of the road for a long time, so the message of two accidents on the same day with an hour difference was already a shock for them, and when it turned out that twin brothers were the victims, the police officers could not explain what had happened nothing but an incredible coincidence.

In 1858, poker player Robert Fallon was shot dead by a losing opponent who claimed that Robert was a cheat and had won $600 by cheating. Fallon's place at the table was vacated, the winnings remained nearby, and none of the players wanted to take the "unfortunate place". However, the game had to be continued, and the rivals, after conferring, went out of the saloon into the street and soon returned with a young man who happened to be passing by. The newcomer was seated at the table and handed him $600 (Robert's winnings) as his starting bet. Arriving at the scene of the crime, the police discovered that the recent killers were playing poker with passion, and the winner was ... a newcomer who managed to turn the $600 initial bet into a $2,200 win! After sorting out the situation and arresting the main suspects in the murder of Robert Fallon, the police ordered the transfer of $ 600 won by the deceased to his next of kin, who turned out to be the same lucky young player who had not seen his father for more than 7 years!

The famous writer Mark Twain was born in 1835, on the day when Halley's comet flew near the Earth, and died in 1910 on the day of its next appearance near the earth's orbit. The writer foresaw and himself predicted his death back in 1909: "I came into this world with Halley's comet, and next year I will leave it with it."

In 1920, three Englishmen traveled on a train in the same compartment. In the process of acquaintance, a strange coincidence was discovered: the name of one of them was Binkham, the second - Powell, and the third - Binkham-Powell. None of them were related to the other.

In 1975, a Bermuda resident, riding a moped, was accidentally hit by a taxi and died on the spot. Exactly one year later, his brother died in exactly the same circumstances. Coincidence? And what do you say to the fact that the brother died while riding the same moped, was hit by the same taxi and the same driver, and even with the same passenger in the cabin?

In 1920, the American writer Anne Parrish, who was on holiday in Paris at the time, came across her favorite children's book, Jack Frost and Other Stories, in a second-hand bookshop. Ann bought the book and showed it to her husband, talking about how she loved this book as a child. The husband took the book from Ann, opened it and found on the title page the inscription: "Anne Parrish, 209H Webber Street, Colorado Springs." It was the same book that had once belonged to Ann herself!

King Umberto I of Italy once went to a small restaurant in the city of Monza to have lunch. The owner of the establishment respectfully accepted the order from His Majesty. Looking at the owner of the restaurant, the king suddenly realized that in front of him was his exact copy. The owner of the restaurant both in face and physique looked a lot like His Majesty. The men got to talking and discovered other similarities: both the king and the owner of the restaurant were born on the same day and year (March 14, 1844). They were born in the same city. Both are married to women named Margarita. The owner of the restaurant opened his restaurant on the day of the coronation of Umberto I. But the coincidences did not end there. In 1900, King Umberto was informed that the owner of a restaurant where the king liked to visit from time to time had died in an accident from a gunshot. Before the king had time to express his condolences, he himself was shot dead by an anarchist from the crowd surrounding the carriage.

In 1992, the French artist René Charbonneau, commissioned by the mayor's office of Rouen, painted the painting "Jeanne d'Arc at the stake." A young student Jeanne Lenoy served as his model. However, the day after the canvas was hung in a spacious exhibition hall, reagents exploded in the university laboratory. Jeanne, who was there, could not get out of the room and burned to death.

A tragicomic incident recently took place in Sofia. The thief Milko Stoyanov, having successfully robbed the apartment of a wealthy citizen and neatly put the "trophies" in his backpack, decided to quickly go down the drainpipe from the window overlooking the deserted street. When Milko was at the level of the second floor, the whistles of the police were heard. Confused, he released the pipe from his hands and flew down. Just at that moment, a guy was walking along the sidewalk, and Milko fell right on top of him. The police arrived in time to handcuff both of them and took them to the station. It turned out that the guy Milko fell on was a burglar who, after many unsuccessful attempts, was finally tracked down. Interestingly, the second thief was also called Milko Stoyanov.

Is it possible to explain the tragic fate of American presidents elected in a year that ends in zero by chance? Lincoln (1860), Garfield (1880), McKinley (1900), Kennedy (1960) were killed, Garrison (1840) died of pneumonia, Roosevelt (1940) - of polio, Harding (1920) suffered a severe heart attack. An attempt was also made on Reagan (1980). Now in the White House Bush (2000). Can the documented episode be considered an accident: Pope Paul VI's favorite alarm clock, which had been ringing regularly at 6 am for 55 years, suddenly went off at 9 pm when the pope died...

German Heinrich Schliemann - the great archaeologist who discovered Troy. In the footsteps of the heroes of fascinating legends, fairy tales and myths, he followed from childhood, in which his father instilled interest.

Particular preference was given to the ancient Greek heroes of Homer - Paris and Helen, Achilles and Hector, stories about the mighty Troy, burned and destroyed.

One Christmas, the father gave his son a book that contained an illustration of an ancient city engulfed in flames.

The boy looked at the image and asked his father: “So did Troy look like? And all this is destroyed and no one knows where the city stood? 10-year-old Heinrich firmly promised his father to find the city and treasures that disappeared for centuries.

The archaeologist lived in the world described by Homer, everything he reported was true reality for him. The great archaeological discovery happened when Schliemann was 46 years old.

The dream came true - he went on his distant and successful journey to the kingdom of the Achaeans. The first of the locals, with whom the scientist met in Ithaca, was a blacksmith.

One can only guess what the archaeologist's surprise was when he learned that the blacksmith's wife was called Penelope, and their sons were Odysseus and Telemachus.

Unusual accidents happen all the time. Their existence poses a kind of challenge to the omnipotent theory of probability. What are coincidences - a game of probabilities or the highest law of nature?

One of the greats said that to the axiom that only two things are inevitable in life - death and taxes, one should add a third inevitability - coincidences. The statement is more than fair.

Unusual accidents happen all the time. Their existence poses a kind of challenge to the omnipotent theory of probability. What are coincidences - a game of probabilities or the highest law of nature? Here are some more stories that happened to famous people.

THE FATAL NUMBER OF THE ROMANOVS

Mysterious coincidences are often associated with numbers. So, the number 17 became fatal in the life of the entire Romanov family and, in particular, the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II. It was on October 17, 1888 that the royal train crashed near Kharkov. Only a miracle then saved the family of Alexander III from inevitable death. During the coronation of Emperor Nicholas II on May 17, 1896, the well-known Khodynskaya tragedy occurred, during which 1389 people were crushed to death and another 1300 were injured. It was on October 17, 1905 that the Manifesto on the Improvement of the State Order was signed, limiting the absolute power of the monarch. In 1917, well-known events began that ended with the usurpation of power by the Bolsheviks. And even the regicide itself took place in Yekaterinburg on July 17 (according to the new style), 1918.

When a coincidence brings misfortune on your head, you can at least consider yourself the chosen one of fate, which has paid special attention to you. Favorable - as in the case of my humble person, or hostile - as happened with kings. But much more often, coincidences do not carry any threat, but, on the contrary, cheer you up and make life more fun. As, for example, in the case of Yuri Nikulin.

YURI NIKULIN'S SONG

Vladimir Shakhidzhanyan, my lecturer at the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University, introduced me to Yuri Nikulin. At one of the meetings, Nikulin told the following story. Once he was driving around Moscow and already on the road he noticed that two traffic cops stopped the driver of the Zhiguli, who was violently trying to explain something to them. It was just at the traffic light, and for the sake of boredom, the artist lowered the window of his car and sang to the law enforcement officers the lines from the famous song of Bulat Okudzhava: “Why are you Vanka Morozov? After all, he is not to blame for anything ... ”The green light came on, and Nikulin gave gas. However, two blocks later, the already familiar Zhiguli caught up with him, and the driver made a sign to stop. Nikulin slowed down and, to his boundless surprise, he heard such words from a completely unfamiliar person: “Thank you, Yuri Vladimirovich. Only for your sake they let me go, respected the request. But here’s what I don’t understand: how do you know me?” It turned out that the owner of the Zhiguli was called Ivan Morozov!

The story is also with the song, however, under more sad circumstances, it happened to the great Italian actor. Once Marcello Mastroianni, in the midst of a noisy friendly feast, sang an old song “The house where I was so happy was burned down ...”. Before he could finish singing the verse, he was informed of a fire in his mansion.

MEETING RODNINA AND ULANOV

An unusual coincidence happened once in the life of the famous figure skater Irina Rodnina. In 1997, she came to Los Angeles with a friend and, passing by a cafe, she began to recall: “It was here that my first sports partner Ulanov and I first went to a cafe with our own money. Here at that table ... ”What was her surprise when she saw Ulanov himself at this table. 25 years after the breakup! As it turned out, he also brought a friend here to show him the place where he first sat in a cafe “with Rodnina herself”!

And here is the amazing fact of the fate of the famous American writer Mark Twain. He was born in 1835, the same day that Halley's comet passed near the Earth, and died in 1910 on the day of its next appearance near the earth's orbit.

Who needs to play such a complex and intricate game with us? God, the universal mind, mere chance, or our own imagination? As for the imagination, you yourself can form your own opinion as to how much the cases narrated belong to the category of an "ordinary" miracle, and how much - from the eternal desire of a person to find this very miracle even in the smallest. And write to us: with whom of you in your whole life has something like this not happened at least once?

OPINIONS OF SPECIALISTS

Why do people love coincidences so much? Most likely because we crave the order, the rhythm, the symmetry they bring to us. They suggest the existence of a certain control force, a divine hand, smoothing out the chaos of our difficult life. And who knows, maybe our brains are programmed to both find and create matches.

In addition, apparently, our love of coincidences is inextricably linked with another fundamental human need - to understand the meaning of existence. And in both cases, we are desperately trying to convince ourselves that there is more to coincidences and our lives than chance and intuitive insight.

Psychologists believe that people who pay special attention to coincidences in their lives tend to view the universe as friendly, orderly, responsive, and as a result they develop a sense of confidence and optimism. Therefore, coincidences in some cases are a useful thing.

Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Georgy KOLUNOV:

— Strange things happen often in our lives. But never in all these curious stories have I seen a statistically reliable analysis of the probability of such coincidences. And this is necessary for scientific validity. If some angel from heaven helped us avoid trouble, then in the entire history of mankind there would be enough statistical material confirming that there are some higher forces that help us survive. But, unfortunately, these are just ordinary accidents.

Today, the name of Albert Einstein is primarily associated with the image of the great scientist who created the theory of relativity. But he was not always so successful, on the contrary, at school the boy often skipped classes, studied poorly and did not even receive a certificate of education.

He preferred playing the violin to boring university lectures. In the future, this musical instrument helped the scientist solve complex problems: as soon as he doubted something, he immediately began to play, and clear thoughts visited his head.

From the very beginning of his scientific career, Einstein was sure that he would receive the Nobel Prize. And he was absolutely right - in 1921 he became its owner. The authorship of the genius belongs to about 300 works in physics and about 150 scientific works in philosophy.

In relations with the opposite sex, he was distinguished by Don Juanism and inconstancy. A serious man in science was frivolous in his personal life.

Albert Einstein quotes about life and being

There are only two infinite things: the universe and stupidity. Although I'm not sure about the universe.

Theory is when everything is known, but nothing works. Practice is when everything works, but no one knows why. We combine theory and practice: nothing works ... and no one knows why!

There are only two ways to live life. The first is that miracles do not exist. The second - as if there were only miracles around.

If you want to lead a happy life, you must be attached to a goal, not to people or things.

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must move

Strive not to succeed, but to ensure that your life has meaning.

Pure information is not knowledge. The real source of knowledge is experience.

Watch closely nature, and you will understand everything much better.

Aphorisms about a person

A person's worth should be determined by what he gives, not by what he is able to achieve. Try to become not successful, but a valuable person.

A person who has never made a mistake has never tried something new.

To be a perfect member of a flock of sheep, one must first be a sheep.

A person begins to live only when he manages to surpass himself.

You need to learn the rules of the game. And then you need to start playing the best

A person who has never made mistakes has never tried anything new.

All people lie, but it's not scary, no one listens to each other.

We are all geniuses. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is a fool.

Do you know? Albert Einstein always said "I" and never allowed anyone to say "we". The meaning of this pronoun simply did not reach the scientist. His close friend only once saw the imperturbable Einstein in a rage when his wife uttered the forbidden "we".

About Faith and God

Almighty God cannot judge humanity.

I do not believe in a god of theology who rewards good and punishes evil.

God is cunning, but not malicious.

God does not play dice.

Observing the harmony of the cosmos, I, with my limited human mind, am able to recognize that there are still people who say that there is no God. But what really angers me is that they back up such a statement with my quote.

Our mathematical difficulties don't bother God. He integrates by experience.

Did God have a choice when He created the universe?

Before God, we are all equally smart, or rather, equally stupid.

Ethical human behavior must be based on empathy, education, and social connections. No religious basis is required for this.

Religion, art and science are branches of the same tree.

Science without religion is lame, and religion without science is blind.

Coincidence keeps God anonymous.

Wise sayings of a genius

The search for truth is more important than the possession of truth.

Education is what remains after you forget everything you learned in school.

It's important not to stop asking questions. Curiosity is not randomly given to man.

Only those who make absurd attempts can achieve the impossible.

The mind, once expanded its boundaries, will never return to the former.

I don't know with what weapons the third world war will be fought, but the fourth - with sticks and stones.

In my imagination, I am free to draw like an artist. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination takes over the world

Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited, while imagination embraces the whole world, stimulating progress, generating evolution.

It makes no sense to continue doing the same thing and expect different results.

You will never solve a problem if you think in the same way as those who created it.

Anyone who wants to see the results of his work immediately should become a shoemaker.

So that's it!The scientists who examined Einstein's brain proved that the gray matter was different from the norm. Scientific studies have shown that the areas of the brain responsible for speech and language are reduced, while the areas responsible for processing numerical and spatial information are enlarged.

Everyone knows it's impossible. But here comes an ignoramus who does not know this - it is he who makes the discovery.

Even scientists from different countries behave as if their brains have been amputated.

The only thing that prevents me from studying is the education I received.

The question that baffles me: am I crazy or is everyone around me?

I never think about the future. It comes by itself soon enough

The most incomprehensible thing about this world is that it is comprehensible.

If you cannot explain something to a six-year-old child, you yourself do not understand it.

Logic can take you from point A to point B, and imagination can take you anywhere...

To win, first of all, you need to play.

Never memorize what you can find in a book.

God does not play dice.

Our mathematical difficulties don't bother God. It integrates empirically.

Before God, we are all equally wise - or equally stupid.

The Lord God is sophisticated, but not malicious.

Coincidence keeps God anonymous.

Marriage is an unsuccessful attempt to turn an accidental episode into something permanent.

Opportunity lurks in the midst of hardships and problems.

The war has been won, but not the peace.

I do not know what kind of weapons the third world war will be fought with, but it is quite obvious that the fourth will be fought only with sticks and stones.

The only reason for the existence of time is so that everything does not happen at the same time.

Only the Universe and human stupidity are infinite, while I have doubts about the infinity of the first of them.

Only the life that is lived for the sake of other people is worthy.

If you want to lead a happy life, you must be attached to a goal, not to people or things.

Life is sacred; it is, so to speak, the supreme value to which all other values ​​are subordinate.

A person begins to live only when he manages to surpass himself.

The laws of mathematics that have anything to do with the real world are unreliable; and reliable mathematical laws have nothing to do with the real world.

International laws exist only in collections of international laws.

How much we know and how little we understand.

Little knowledge is a dangerous thing, however, as well as great.

It is high time to replace the ideal of success with the ideal of service.

Goodness, beauty and truth were the ideals that illuminated my path and gave me courage and courage.

Truth is that which stands the test of experience.

The search for truth is more important than the possession of truth.

I think it is especially important to share different ways of comprehension of the truth. By this I mean that our moral inclinations and tastes, our sense of beauty and religious instincts, contribute to helping our thinking faculty to reach its highest achievements.

Logic can take you from point A to point B, and imagination can take you anywhere.

It is not easy to say what the truth is, but lies are often easy to recognize.

If people are good only because of the fear of punishment and the desire for reward, then we really are pathetic creatures.

The eternal mystery of the world is its knowability. The very fact of this knowability is a miracle.

The most incomprehensible thing about this world is that it is comprehensible.

The moral qualities of a remarkable man are of more importance for his generation and for the historical process than purely intellectual achievements. These latter themselves depend on the greatness of the spirit, a greatness that usually remains unknown.

Science can only be created by those who are thoroughly imbued with the desire for truth and understanding. But the source of this feeling comes from the realm of religion. From there - the belief in the possibility that the rules of this world are rational, that is, comprehensible to the mind. I can't imagine a real scientist without a strong belief in this. Figuratively, the situation can be described as follows: science without religion is lame, and religion without science is blind.

The only thing my long life has taught me is that all our science in the face of reality looks primitive and childishly naive - and yet this is the most valuable thing we have.

One of the criteria for the truth of scientific knowledge is the internal perfection of the theory.

The process of scientific discovery is, in essence, a continuous flight from miracles.

There is always an element of poetry in scientific thinking. Real science and real music require a uniform thought process.

Science is not and never will be a finished book. Every major success brings new questions. Every development reveals in the course of time ever newer and deeper difficulties.

The only thing that can direct us to noble thoughts and actions is the example of great and morally pure personalities.

I survived two wars, two wives and Hitler.

I am a deeply religious atheist. We can say that this is a kind of new religion.

The only thing that prevents me from studying is the education I received.

I have never ascribed to Nature any purpose, deliberate intention, or anything that can be given an anthropomorphic interpretation. Nature is a majestic edifice, which we are only able to comprehend very incompletely, and which arouses in the soul of a thinking person a feeling of humble humility. This truly reverent feeling has nothing to do with mysticism.

Problems

No problem can be solved at the same level at which it arose.

progress

The real progress of mankind depends not so much on the inventive mind as on consciousness.

Technological progress is like an ax in the hands of a pathological criminal.

Religion, Art and Science are branches of the same tree.

The further the spiritual evolution of mankind advances, the more obvious it seems to me that the path to true religiosity lies not through the fear of life, the fear of death or blind faith, but through the desire for rational knowledge.

The freedom of a person in the modern world is similar to the freedom of a person solving a crossword puzzle: theoretically, he can enter any word, but in reality he must enter only one in order for the crossword puzzle to be solved.

Strength always attracts people of low moral character.

The more my fame, the more stupid I become; and this is undoubtedly the general rule.

Words were and remain an empty sound; and, serving the ideal only in words, it is impossible to die for it. But personality is created not by what a person hears and says, but by labor and activity.

After all, it's good to die too.

I have learned to look at death as an old debt that must be paid sooner or later.

Never act against your conscience, even if the public interest requires it.

If you want to lead a happy life, you must be attached to a goal, not to people or things.

Anyone who wants to see the results of his work immediately should become a shoemaker.

The goal of all activity of the intellect is to transform some "miracle" into something comprehended.

The only sensible way to educate people is to set an example for them.

Since we scientists are destined for the tragic fate of further increasing the monstrous effectiveness of the means of destruction, it is our most solemn and noble duty to prevent by all means the use of these weapons for the cruel purposes for which they were invented.

A scientist is like a mimosa when he made a mistake himself, and a roaring lion when he discovers a mistake in others.

No end is so lofty as to justify the unworthy means to achieve it.

values

Nothing of value can be born out of ambition or a sense of duty. Values ​​arise due to love and devotion to people and the objective realities of this world.

Each person is obliged, at least, to return to the world as much as he took from it.

A person can find meaning in life only by devoting himself to society.

A happy person is too satisfied with the present to think too much about the future.

A person is a part of the whole, which we call the Universe, a part limited in time and space. He feels himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest of the world, which is a kind of optical illusion. This illusion has become a prison for us, limiting us to the world of our own desires and attachment to a narrow circle of people close to us. Our task is to free ourselves from this prison, expanding the scope of our participation to every living being, to the whole world, in all its splendor. No one can complete such a task to the end, but the very attempts to achieve this goal are part of the liberation and the basis for inner confidence.

humanity

Humanity has every reason to place the heralds of moral values ​​higher than the discoverers of scientific truths.

Ethical human behavior must be based on empathy, education, and community relations. No religious basis is required for this.

on other topics

Dostoevsky gives me more than any scientific thinker, more than Gauss.

The most difficult thing in the world to understand is the income tax.

In response to the question why people were able to create atomic weapons, but cannot establish control over them: - It's very simple, my dears: because politics is much more complicated than physics.

In my youth, I discovered that the big toe sooner or later makes a hole in the sock. So I stopped wearing socks.

Great personalities are always met with violent opposition from mediocre minds.

Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited, while imagination embraces the whole world, stimulating progress, generating evolution.

The question that baffles me: "Am I crazy, or is everyone else?"

Everything is very simple. All people think that this is impossible. But there is one daredevil who does not agree with this.

Everything should be simplified as much as possible, but no more.

Do you really think the moon only exists when you look at it?

Do you think all that simple? Yes, it's simple. But not at all.

Outstanding personalities are formed not through beautiful speeches, but by their own work and its results.

Highest musicality in the field of thought.

The highest task of the physicist is the search for such highly universal laws from which, with the help of pure deduction, a picture of the world can be obtained. There is no logical path leading to such laws. They can only be obtained through intuition based on a phenomenon similar to intellectual love for objects of experience.

Two kinds of soap is too complicated for me.

If I knew that in three hours I must die, it would not make a great impression on me. I would think about how best to use these three hours.

If philosophy is understood as the search for knowledge in its most general and broadest form, then it can obviously be considered the mother of all scientific searches. But it is also true that the various branches of science in turn have a strong influence on the scientists who study them, and, moreover, have a strong influence on the philosophical thinking of each generation.

If the theory of relativity is confirmed, then the Germans will say that I am a German, and the French that I am a citizen of the world; but if my theory is refuted, the French will declare me a German, and the Germans a Jew.

Why should I memorize something when I can easily look it up in a book.

Common sense is the sum of prejudices acquired before the age of eighteen.

The idea of ​​a personified deity has never been close to me and seems rather naive.

When a blind bug crawls along the plane of the ball, it does not notice that the path it is making is curved. I managed to notice it.

When I study myself and my way of thinking, I come to the conclusion that the gift of imagination and fantasy meant more to me than any ability to think abstractly. Dreaming about everything you could achieve in life is an important element of a positive life. Let your imagination run wild and create the world you want to live in.

Mathematics is the most perfect way to lead oneself by the nose.

My husband is a genius! He knows how to do absolutely everything except money.

Seasickness is caused by people, not the sea. But, I'm afraid, science has not yet found a cure for this disease.

Nationalism is a childhood disease. This is the measles of humanity.

Our position on earth is truly amazing. Everyone appears on it for a short moment, without a clear goal, although some manage to come up with a goal. But from the point of view of everyday life, one thing is clear: we live for other people - and most of all for those on whose smiles and well-being our own happiness depends.

Do not deify the intellect. He has powerful muscles, but no face.

No amount of experimentation can prove a theory; but one experiment is enough to refute it.

No one itches unless they itch.

Nothing will bring such benefits to human health and will not increase the chances of preserving life on Earth as the spread of vegetarianism.

I fear that the day will surely come when technology will surpass simple human communication. Then the world will get a generation of idiots.

The liberated energy of the atomic nucleus has called into question many things, including our way of thinking. If man is still unable to think in a new way, we will inevitably move towards an unprecedented catastrophe.

The pioneers of a world without wars are young people who refuse to serve in the army.

With such harmony in the cosmos, which I, with my limited human mind, is able to realize, there are still people who say that there is no God. But what really angers me is that they quote me in support of such views.

Forgive me, Newton.

Solving physical problems is child's play compared to scientific psychological research is child's play.

The word "God" for me is just a manifestation and product of human weaknesses, and the Bible is a collection of honorable, but still primitive legends, which, nevertheless, are rather childish. No, even the most sophisticated, interpretation can change this (for me).

Compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe.

Perfect means for obscure ends are a characteristic feature of our time.

Reports about my religiosity are pure lies. Lies that are persistently repeated! I don't believe in a personalized God. I expressed my attitude towards God clearly and never backed down from my words. If some of my statements may seem religious to someone, then this is probably my boundless admiration for the structure of the universe, as far as our science can comprehend it.

The ability to perceive that incomprehensible to our mind, which is hidden under direct experiences, whose beauty and perfection reach us only in the form of a reflected weak echo - this is religiosity. In that sense, I'm religious." In this sense, I am also religious, with the amendment that "incomprehensible" does not mean "closed to comprehension."

Strive not to succeed, but to ensure that your life has meaning.

Theory is when everything is known, but nothing works. Practice is when everything works, but no one knows why. We combine theory and practice: nothing works and no one knows why!

Only those who make absurd attempts can achieve the impossible.

He who marches contentedly to the music in the ranks has already earned my contempt. He was endowed with a brain by mistake; a spinal cord would have been enough for him. This shame of civilization must be ended. Heroism on command, senseless cruelty and disgusting senselessness called patriotism - how much I hate all this, how low and vile war is. I'd rather be torn to pieces than be part of this dirty act. I am convinced that murder under the pretext of war does not cease to be murder.

I do not believe in a God who rewards and punishes, in a God whose goals are molded from our human goals. I do not believe in the immortality of the soul, although weak minds, possessed by fear or absurd selfishness, find refuge in such a belief.

I never think about the future. It comes by itself soon enough.

I want to be cremated so people don't come to worship my bones.

I feel so in solidarity with everything that lives that it makes no difference to me where the individual begins and ends.

Do you have a notebook to write down your brilliant thoughts?
- Brilliant thoughts come to mind so rarely that they are easy to remember.