January 26, 2012
I watched Brian Greene’s 2005 TED talk on string theory a few of weeks back and was so spellbound that I ordered The Elegant Universe, a book he wrote on the subject a few years back. It was Einstein who said that the only unintelligible thing about the universe is that it is intelligible to us at all. Theoretical physics and mathematics are two of the best tools we have to unlock the mysteries of the universe and gain insight into the nature of its creator. The notion that we may soon have a theory that elegantly unifies the theory of relativity with the seemingly irreconcilable quantum theory is so exciting. Is it possible that we are on the threshold of a true golden age of physics?
January 19, 2012
A human being is a part of the whole, called by us, “Universe,” a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest – a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security.
Albert Einstein (1879-1955)