Einstein, God Are Prime Movers of Conversation at Local Cocktail Party

An anonymous bidder recently agreed to pay the astonishing price of $2.9 million for a page-and-a-half of musings on religion, the Bible, and the nature of reality. A large part of the price tag reflected the fame of the person whose signature — or "autograph," as a Christie's auctioneer called it — is appended to the bottom: Albert Einstein.

But celebrity aside, why do so many people still care passionately about a deceased scientist's pronouncements on the divine? Suzanne Roff, a psychologist attending a panel discussion on Einstein's so-called "God Letter" at the Princeton Club last week, had a theory.

"Because he was considered the most brilliant man of his time and we're all looking for someone to have answers for us," she conjectured before supplying a few traditionally vexing questions: "Who are we? Why are we here? What is the meaning of life?"

Listen to the audio to hear what a formidable group of intellects had to say about Einstein and god, and religion and science, in the light of the strong views expressed in his letter. They also reflected on his Jewish identity and how it may have contributed to his thought.

You'll hear from Peter Klarnet, senior specialist in Christie's books and manuscripts department; Brian Greene, professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University; Tania Lombrozo, professor of psychology at Princeton University; Rabbi Geoffrey Mitelman, founding director of Sinai and Synapses, an organization that bridges science and religion; and Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, philosopher, novelist, and winner of the Richard Dawkins Award from the Atheist Alliance of America. 

Thanks to Lukas Krohn-Grimberghe for reading excerpts of the letter in the original German.