The Riverside Church
January 19, 1936
My dear Dr. Einstein,
We have brought up the question: Do scientists pray? in our Sunday school class. It began by asking whether we could believe in both science and religion. We are writing to scientists and other important men, to try and have our own question answered.
We will feel greatly honored if you will answer our question: Do scientists pray, and what do they pray for?
We are in the sixth grade, Miss Ellis’s class.
Respectfully yours,
Phyllis
January 24, 1936
Dear Phyllis,
I will attempt to reply to your question as simply as I can. Here is my answer:
Scientists believe that every occurrence, including the affairs of human beings, is due to the laws of nature. Therefore a scientist cannot be inclined to believe that the course of events can be influenced by prayer, that is, by a supernaturally manifested wish.
However, we must concede that our actual knowledge of these forces is imperfect, so that in the end the belief in the existence of a final, ultimate spirit rests on a kind of faith. Such belief remains widespread even with the current achievements in science.
But also, everyone who is seriously involved in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that some spirit is manifest in the laws of the universe, one that is vastly superior to that of man. In this way the pursuit of science leads to a religious feeling of a special sort, which is surely quite different from the religiosity of someone more naive.
With cordial greetings,
your A. Einstein
SPEAKER
recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921, now a world-renowned scientist; approximately age 60; persona: the wise elder speaking to a younger generation who has a lot to learn and discover.
PURPOSE
to juxtapose the concepts of science and religion; to inspire Phyllis and future generations in contemplating personal beliefs about spiritual beliefs and the nature of faith versus the logic of science and scientific data.
AUDIENCE
Phyllis, 12 y.o. child in the sixth grade; the formality of his response suggests that Einstein realized that his letter would have a larger audience.
CONTEXT
1936; pre-WWII; evolutionary biology presented by Darwin in 1859; 1947 schools first taught the theories of evolution.
EXIGENCE
Everyday people were questioning their religions and the existence of anything in the spiritual realm.
CHOICES
Repetition with the word "faith"; use of punctuation, especially the dash to emphasize a definition; transitional words and phrases to bring cohesion; colloquial language juxtaposed with elevated diction.
APPEALS
Pathos with the opening of the letter and the close: "Dear Phyllis" instead of something more formal; first sentence indicates there was some careful and thoughtful reflection on the topic
Ethos is automatic since it's Einstein who was commonly known by 1936
TONE (<-- links to Simons's "tone" page)
emphatically reflective; pedantic; didactic