爱因斯坦有宗教感吗?
爱因斯坦对自己的宗教观在不同场合有不同的陈述。德克萨斯州大学历史系教授 Alberto A. Martínez 分析爱因斯坦在行为和公、私情形下的言论证据，揭示一定的宗教感，但似乎不是通常意义上 “信教” 的一个爱因斯坦。
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爱因斯坦童年时确实如此。他满怀虔诚研读《圣经》，他不觉得天主教与犹太教有何冲突，他不再吃猪肉，他给上帝写小歌曲，放学路上边走边唱。但十二岁那年，通过阅读科学书籍，他突然抛弃了所有宗教信仰，唯对自然界的奥秘与奇迹保持着 “神圣的好奇心（holy curiosity）”。
When he was a boy, yes. He lovingly studied the Bible, sensed no contradiction between Catholicism and Judaism, stopped eating pork, wrote little songs to God, and sang them as he walked home from school. But at the age of twelve, by reading science books, he abruptly abandoned all of his religious beliefs. He kept a “holy curiosity” for the mysteries and wonders of nature.
众所周知，几十年后，他曾就上帝发表过一些诙谐的言论：上帝不掷骰子，上帝狡黠但不恶毒。爱因斯坦曾写道：“没有宗教的科学是跛脚的，没有科学的宗教是盲目的。” 在他去世的那一年，也就是1955年，一位学生引用他的话说：“我想知道上帝是如何创造这个世界的。我对这种或那种现象，对这种或那种元素的光谱都不感兴趣。我想知道的是他的想法，其余的都是细节。”
It is well-known that decades later, he made witty statements about God: that He does not play dice and that God is crafty but not malicious. Einstein famously wrote: “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” And the year he died, in 1955, a student quoted him as having once said “I want to know how God created this world. I’m not interested in this or that phenomenon, in the spectrum of this or that element. I want to know his thoughts, the rest are details.”
【姜涛注：这段引言出自爱因斯坦1920年代在柏林大学的学生埃丝特·萨拉曼（Esther Salaman）1955年写的回忆文章。根据萨拉曼的回忆，这段对话实际上发生在 1925 年 左右。当时她正和爱因斯坦一起散步，爱因斯坦向她阐述了自己的科学哲学：他并不满足于仅仅研究孤立的物理现象（如化学元素的各种光谱），而是试图理解宇宙背后的基本逻辑和设计。】
然而爱因斯坦关于上帝的言论素以含糊暧昧著称。正因如此，许多犹太人、基督徒、无神论者和持其他宗教观的人们，通过挑选最称心的爱因斯坦的著名语录，将爱因斯坦引为同道。比如理查德·道金斯等无神论者欣慰地发现，爱因斯坦偶尔会澄清说他的"上帝" 实际指的是 "自然"。但有时爱因斯坦又说 "我不是无神论者"。其他时候，爱因斯坦说他相信斯宾诺莎说的那种上帝。在1670年代，这位荷兰哲学家对自然界的规律与和谐表达了极大的敬意，同时认为上帝没有人格、意识、情感或意志。1929年，爱因斯坦以颂扬的口吻诠释斯宾诺莎的观念为 "一个卓越的大脑的深刻感悟，在经验王国得到揭示"。但与此同时，他对人们把他比喻为是像斯宾诺莎那样的泛神论者这种说法的准确性表示怀疑。
【姜涛注：斯宾诺莎有一个独特的宇宙和上帝观，他认为宇宙从根本来说只由一个实体组成，而这个实体和上帝就是一回事，宇宙间所有物质和精神都是这个实体的各种属性的表现形式而已）
Yet Einstein’s statements on God were notoriously ambiguous. Therefore, many Jews, Christians, atheists, and others have embraced Einstein as one of their own—by picking his most appealing quotations. Atheists such as Richard Dawkins are glad that sometimes Einstein clarified that by “God” he actually meant to say “nature.” Yet sometimes he remarked “I am not an atheist.” Other times Einstein said that he believed in the God of Spinoza. In the 1670s, the Dutch philosopher expressed great reverence for the lawful harmony of nature, arguing that God has no personality, consciousness, emotions, or will. In 1929 Einstein praised Spinoza’s outlook as a “deep feeling in a superior mind that reveals itself in the world of experience.” Yet at the same time he expressed doubts as to whether he could fairly describe himself as a pantheist like Spinoza.
在《纽约时报》榜首畅销书《爱因斯坦传》中，沃尔特·艾萨克森指出，爱因斯坦并非简单地将“上帝”视为“自然”的代名词。艾萨克森坚称，爱因斯坦绝非隐秘的无神论者；相反，他信仰的是一位非人格化的造物主——这位造物主并不干预凡尘琐事。同样，许多其他作家亦持此论：既然爱因斯坦既不信仰那位体恤世人、如严父般的“人格化上帝”，又非无神论者，那么他所信仰的，必然是一位非人格化的神。
In his #1 New York Times bestselling biography of Einstein, Walter Isaacson argues that Einstein did not use the word God as just another name for nature. Isaacson insists that Einstein was not secretly an atheist but instead, that Einstein believed in an impersonal Creator who does not meddle in our daily lives. Likewise, many other writers also think that since Einstein did not believe in a personal God, a fatherly Creator who cares about us, and not being an atheist, that therefore he believed in an impersonal God.
一九三六年，爱因斯坦在给一名小女孩的回信中阐释道：“凡潜心于科学研究者，终将会相信，自然规律的存在，彰显一个远胜于人类的精灵；而吾辈仅凭微薄之力，唯有于其面前谦卑俯首。” 此语听来确具宗教色彩，然其所谓 “精灵” 究竟何指？爱因斯坦在回答好奇的陌生人、儿童、记者或挚友的此类询问时，其答复往往因人而异，大相径庭。在一些情况下，爱因斯坦的表述比较口语化和通俗，而在更讲究的语境，他会用另外的措辞。他曾感言他对宗教的诸多随性的评论，日后竟成世人深度剖析的文字，实乃憾事。
In 1936, Einstein wrote a letter to a little girl, in which he explained: “Everyone seriously engaged in science becomes convinced that the laws of nature manifest a spirit which is vastly superior to man, and before which we, with our modest strength, must humbly bow.” This certainly sounds religious, but what did he mean by “a spirit”? Einstein’s replies to inquisitive strangers, children, reporters, or close friends sometimes were markedly different. In some cases, he used colloquial expressions that he preferred to rephrase in more exacting contexts. He voiced regrets that many of his casual expressions later became subject to public dissection.
有一些广为人知的爱因斯坦的语录，将晚年的爱因斯坦展示为虔诚宗教信徒的形象，鲜为人知的是，爱因斯坦在私下里实际将自己归为 “不可知论者”。一八六九年，“达尔文的斗犬”托马斯·亨利·赫胥黎创设“不可知论”一词，意思是用一个暂且的基于理性的自认无知态度，来规避假装知情而实际是对尚未被科学地证明的结论妄下断言。二十年后，赫胥黎对此评述道：“我发明‘不可知论’一词，乃是指代如我这般坦承在诸多议题上极度无知之人；而反观那些玄学家与神学家，无论正统与否，皆对此类议题言之凿凿、武断至极……”而在大众语境中，不可知论通常被理解为是承认自己不知道上帝是否存在的宗教观。
In contrast to the famous quotations that portray the old Einstein as a religious man, it is less well known that he privately described himself as agnostic. In 1869, “Darwin’s bulldog,” Thomas Henry Huxley coined the word “Agnostic” as an attitude of temporary reasoned ignorance, to not pretend to know conclusions that have yet to be demonstrated scientifically. Twenty years later, Huxley commented: “I invented the word ‘Agnostic’ to denote people who, like myself, confess themselves to be hopelessly ignorant concerning a variety of maters, about which metaphysicians and theologians, both orthodox and heterodox, dogmatise with the utmost confidence…” Popularly, agnosticism became known simply as the position of admitting that one does not know whether God exists.
一九四九年，爱因斯坦在致美国海军一名好奇水兵的回信中明确表示：“你可以称我为不可知论者。”一九五零年，他在回复另一位信友时重申：“我的神学立场是不可知论。我深信，若要改良并升华生命，需要人们首先把道德准则清澈铭记在心，然而此种自觉意识，委实没有求助于某位‘立法者’ 的需要，尤其不需要那位以奖惩为治世手段之神。”
及至一九五二年，在致一位哲学家之信函中，爱因斯坦直抒胸臆，言辞不加雕琢：“在我看来，‘上帝’一词无非是人类弱点的体现和人类弱点的产物；《圣经》虽然汇编了可敬的传说，然究其本质，仍不失为原始蒙昧之集大成。无论何种精精巧委婉的解释，都无法改变我的此种认知。” 爱因斯坦进一步指出，犹太民族与其他其他族群比较并无优越之处：“在犹太人身上，我看不到任何 ‘上帝的选民’ 的丝毫痕迹。” 他最后断言，一切宗教皆属 “原始迷信” 之列。
In 1949 Einstein wrote a letter to a curious sailor in the US Navy, explaining that “You may call me agnostic.” In 1950 he replied to another correspondent: “My position concerning God is that of an agnostic. I am convinced that vivid consciousness of the primary importance of moral principles for the betterment and ennoblement of life does not need the idea of a law-giver, especially a law-giver who works on the basis of reward and punishment.” Then in 1952, in a letter to a philosopher, Einstein frankly expressed his unsweetened opinions: “The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honorable but still primitive legends aplenty. No interpretation, no matter how subtle, can change this (for me).” Einstein added that the Jewish people were no better that any other groups of people: “I can ascertain nothing Chosen about them.” He said that all religions are “primitive superstitions.”
爱因斯坦在晚年私函里就宗教信仰问题言辞冷峻，与他公开发表的关于上帝与宗教的言论形成鲜明对照。那么，爱因斯坦果真有虔诚信仰吗？亦或他那些公开场合的言论只是为了符合政治正确？一九三〇年，年届五十一岁的爱因斯坦曾发表文章，自陈为是 “深具宗教情怀之人”。然而那时候他已名扬天下，深知自己的每一句话都可能被世人拿来细究和层层解读。此后多年，他解释道：他的 “宗教情怀”，不过是他对自然界的法则和奥秘的深深的惊奇和敬畏之感。
He wrote such stark comments in private letters, in contradistinction to his published pronouncements about God and religion. So, was Einstein really religious? Or was he politically correct in public? In 1930, at the age of fifty-one, an article was published in which he described himself as “deeply religious.” But by then he was a world-wide celebrity. He knew that every word he said might be analyzed and interpreted. Over the years, he explained that he was religious only inasmuch as he felt a deep sense of wonder and reverence for the laws and mysteries of nature.
但是，当我们说某人有宗教情怀时，我们通常指的是什么呢？在爱因斯坦身上，看不到与宗教人士的身份契合的诸多信念和活动。爱因斯坦否认存在一个眷顾人类的上帝，亦主张道德绝非神授，他不相信任何圣经经文，不归顺任何宗教教义，亦不承认任何教会与寺庙之权威。他不属于任何教派，他否认灵魂的存在，否认人死后还有生命否认，否认神的奖赏或惩罚。他否认存在足以凌驾自然规律的神迹，排斥一切神秘主义，亦不信奉自由意志、先知或救世主。他否认生命或宇宙秩序有任何目的，他不做任何宗教仪式，也不祈祷。
But what do we usually mean when we say that someone is religious? Most of the beliefs and practices that we distinctively associate with religious people were absent in Einstein. He denied the existence of a God that cares for humans, he argued that there is nothing divine about morality, he did not believe in any holy Scriptures, he had no faith in religious teachings, he rejected the authority of all churches and temples, he belonged to no congregation, he denied the existence of souls, life after death, divine rewards or punishments. He denied the existence of miracles that suspend the laws of nature. He rejected all mysticism, he did not believe in free will, he did not believe in any prophets or saviors. He denied that there is any goal in life or in the order of the universe, he practiced no religious rituals, and he did not pray.
青年时代的爱因斯坦在基本上全面放弃宗教信仰后，面临的选择是：究竟坦承自己并非宗教信徒呢，还是另辟蹊径，为“虔诚” 找一个替代性的定义。他选择了后者。在科学领域，爱因斯坦曾因重构时间、能量、质量及引力等传统概念而功勋卓著；于是，他亦试图对宗教施以同等变革。一九五〇年，他在致年少挚友莫里斯·索洛文之信函中解释道：“就人类理性所能通达的范围而言，现实世界是以理性为特征的，若要表达我对此怀有的信心。实难寻得比‘宗教’ 一词更臻完美的形容了。”
Having rejected most aspects of religion, the young Einstein had some options: either say that he was not a religious person, or instead, find an alternative way to define religiosity. He chose the latter path. In science, Einstein had great success by redefining traditional concepts: he redefined concepts of time, energy, mass, gravity, and more. So he tried to do the same thing with religion. In 1950, he explained to his close friend from youth, Maurice Solovine: “I have found no better expression than ‘religious’ for confidence in the rational nature of reality as it is accessible to human reason.”
爱因斯坦并未接纳宗教的经书、仪式、或传统，而是倾心于自然世界的奇迹的奥妙。爱因斯坦通过重构宗教的意义，将宗教的核心定义为他本人所培育而秉持的对自然的情感态度，唯有如此，爱因斯坦方能自陈为一名“深具宗教情怀之人士”。譬如，他自谓虔诚，却从不祷告。故而在他重构的关于宗教的定义之下，“不祷告” 反而成了一个笃信自然规律的人应有的虔诚之举。他曾致信利奥·西拉德（Leo Szilard）称：“只要你仍在向神祈祷并求索恩惠，你便称不上是宗教信徒。”
Instead of accepting Scriptures, rituals, or traditions, Einstein focused on the wonders of nature. By redefining religion to include at its core the emotions and attitudes that Einstein did cultivate, then and only then could Einstein describe himself as a deeply religious man. For example, he called himself deeply religious, but he did not pray. Therefore, in his new definitions, not praying became an act of a deeply religious man, one who fully trusts the laws of nature. He once wrote to Leo Szilard: “as long as you pray to God and ask him for some benefit, you are not a religious man.”
总而言之，老爱因斯坦实为一名不可知论者，本文作者并不认为他有多大的宗教情怀。请恕我作一个不科学的类比：假设如果某人宣称酷爱意大利比萨饼，然后说他不喜欢加放酱料，厌恶面饼，且对奶酪过敏；甚至坚称凡要求在面饼上面放馅料者皆非真心热爱比萨饼。然后当被问道： “阁下这样对待比萨饼，怎样可以自称是酷爱呢？“ 他回答说：“盖因余对比萨饼的本质心存深切之赏识耳。”
Summing up, good old Einstein was agnostic, I don’t think that he was very religious. Forgive me for making an unscientific analogy. Suppose someone tells us that he really loves pizza, but then he says that he prefers no sauce, dislikes dough, is allergic to cheese, and believes that anyone who asks for toppings does not really like pizza. Then we ask: but how can you say that you really love pizza? He answers: “because I have a deep appreciation for its essence.”
1954年1月3日，爱因斯坦逝世之前一年，他给哲学家Eric B. Gutkind 写了一封信，着重谈了他对宗教的看法。以下是这封信的相关段落
“上帝” 这个词，于我而言，无非是人类弱点的展现和人类弱点的产物；《圣经》虽然汇编了可敬的传说，然究其本质，仍不失为原始蒙昧之集大成，而且相当幼稚。无论何种精巧委婉的解释，都无法改变我的此种认知。后人对圣经的各类诠释名目繁多，却大多与圣经原文的本义风马牛不相及。于我而言，犹太教同其他一切宗教无异，皆为原始迷信之化身。而我自己虽欣然隶属于犹太民族，且对犹太民族的心性深具认同，然在我看来，犹太人的品质与其他族群并无区别。根据我的阅历所及，犹太人较之其他族群亦无优越之处；犹太人之所以目前免于权欲带来之恶疾，只不过因为犹太民族还未掌握权势而已。除此之外，我在犹太人身上未见任何 “天选之民” 的痕迹。
The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish. No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this. These subtilised interpretations are of many kinds according to their nature and have almost nothing to do with the original text. For me the Jewish religion like all other religions is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions. And the Jewish people to whom I gladly belong and with whose mentality I have a deep affinity have no different quality for me than all other people. As far as my experience goes, they are also no better than other human groups, although they are protected from the worst cancers by a lack of power. Otherwise I cannot discern anything “chosen” about them.
读了大作，令我倍感遗憾者，乃是阁下试图以两道傲慢之墙——其一为人之傲慢，其二为犹太人之傲慢——来维系某种优越地位。作为人，阁下仿佛是在为自身申索某种特权，试图从那套被普遍接受的因果律中获得‘豁免’；作为犹太人，阁下则试图给予一神论独占之特权。然而，局部之因果律断难称其为因果律；关于此点，吾辈崇敬之斯宾诺莎或许是首位以极其犀利之洞察力揭示此理之人。此外，即便将自然宗教之万物有灵论予以垄断，亦无法在原则上否定其本质。此类壁垒虽能带来某种自我慰藉，却无助于升华吾辈之道德境界，反倒南辕北辙。
In general I find it painful that you claim a privileged position and try to defend it by two walls of pride, an external one as a man and an internal one as a Jew. As a man you claim, so to speak, a dispensation from causality otherwise accepted, as a Jew the privilege of monotheism. But a limited causality is no longer a causality at all, as our wonderful Spinoza similarly recognized with all incision, probably as the first one. And the animistic interpretations of the religions of nature are in principle not annulled by monopolization. With such walls we can only attain a certain self-deception, but our moral efforts are not furthered by them. On the contrary.
尽管余已坦陈吾辈在理智信念上之分歧，然余亦深知，在关乎人性评价等本质问题上，吾辈实则志同道合。分歧之所在，仅在于弗洛伊德所谓理智之“支柱”与“合理化”修饰耳。故而余以为，若能就具体事务促膝长谈，吾辈必能心领神会。
Now that I have quite openly stated our differences in intellectual convictions it is still clear to me that we are quite close to each other in essential things, i.e. in our evaluations of human behavior. What separates us are only intellectual "props" and "rationalization" in Freud’s language. Therefore I think that we would understand each other quite well if we talked about concrete things.
顺致友谊之谢忱与诚挚之祝愿。