VALIDITY OF A SUBJECTIVE ARGUMENT
ALBERT Einstein (1879–1955) was a great scientific mind. In one of his letters dated January 3, 1954 to philosopher Eric B. Gutkind, Einstein wrote about his concept of God. These are his words: “The word 'God' is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses.”
This statement is undoubtedly an unscientific statement by a scientific mind. This statement can be easily converted into another statement, that is — ‘Belief in God is a natural urge of a man. Instead of being a human weakness, it is truly a rational finding of man.’
Einstein, as a scientist, was a believer of the notion that only an objective argument is a valid argument; a subjective statement may reflect one’s belief but it has no credibility as a rational argument. In this sense, Einstein’s statement was against his own stand.
Belief in God is a natural urge; It is truly a rational finding of man.
If we take Einstein’s statement as a scientific statement, then it means that it was a valid statement. It validates the veracity of subjective thinking. Here we have only two options: either reject Einstein’s statement as invalid, or if we accept it as a valid statement then we have no right to reject those subjective statements given by religious people. If one subjective statement is right, then all the subjective statements are right, provided they stand rational scrutiny.
When Einstein made this statement, perhaps he was not aware that by this he was demolishing the edifice of objective science. He was equating subjective argument with objective argument. The above example shows that this kind of contradiction in thought is widespread amongst scholars, not only among artists, but also among scientists. One can say that in principle, an objective statement and a subjective statement can both be valid statements. The real criterion is whether they stand rational scrutiny or not. If it stands rational scrutiny, the subjective statement is as valid as the objective statement.
For example, if a person says, ‘I am thirsty’, one can say that this is a subjective statement. If you scrutinize the statement, you will discover that thirst is a natural need of man. No one, including Einstein can say that thirst is a human weakness.
This analysis will lead you to believe that the statement of the person was quite rational; consequently, a valid statement. Although, in logical categorization it was a subjective statement—that is, it was not demonstrable objectively.
When a man has a specific and
worthwhile goal before him,
he sets a great value upon his time,
but when bereft of a goal,
time hangs heavily
upon his hands.
It is then that ceremonial gatherings
and vain pursuits become
welcome occupations.
He makes no real life for himself,
but depends upon others
for occupation and distraction.
In this way, he drifts along,
like a ship without a rudder,
to the end of his useless life.
On the surface, he has led a full, busy life,
but, on closer inspection, he discovers, too late,
that his achievements are nil, and that he has
frittered away his precious existence in
empty, meaningless diversions.