Class 7: Albert Einstein

Readings

• "The Secrets of the Old One" - Parts 1 and 2 of a profile of Einstein by Jeremy Bernstein extracted from the March 10 and March 17, 1973 issues of The New Yorker (23 pages each).  To view or download Part 1, click here, for Part 2, click here.

• Albert Einstein biographical timeline; to view or download, click here

Points to Ponder

• What does the term "relativity" say to you?  Was relativity somehow appropriate to the world of the 20th century?

• Einstein at age 16 famously wondered what it would be like to pursue, at the speed of light, a beam of light. Imagine sitting on a beam of light and shining a flashlight in the direction opposite to the direction of travel of the beam. Would the forward velocity of the light beam cancel the backward velocity of light from the flashlight and produce stationary light? Is this reasonable or absurd? 

• One of Einstein's many, many quotes: "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." What did he mean by that?

Optional Reading and Viewing

For other reading and viewing, click on the link  Of Further Interest - Einstein