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From: gwyn@brl-tgr.ARPA (Doug Gwyn <gwyn>)
Newsgroups: net.math
Subject: Re: a piece of folk-lore
Message-ID: <1776@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Fri, 27-Sep-85 16:24:45 EDT
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.1776
Posted: Fri Sep 27 16:24:45 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 1-Oct-85 10:36:24 EDT
References: <1799@psuvax1.UUCP> <9600018@uiucdcsp> <1342@kestrel.ARPA>
Organization: Ballistic Research Lab
Lines: 23

> > I think Einstein had a particular problem
> > with being made the center of stories--his famous line "God doesn't
> > play dice with the universe"  may not have been his.  (He is said to
> > stated this at a banquet in an argument with a quantum theorist.)
> > -Ben Leimkuhler
> 
> Notice that this story makes Einstein look stodgy, because, if one
> accepts quantum mechanics, "God" DOES play dice with the universe.
> So why is this saying famous? Because it sounds good to people
> ignorant of quantum mechanics?

Einstein most assuredly did not personally accept that there was an
inherent, unavoidable, fundamental randomness in the laws of physics.
For many years he played devil's advocate to try to identify flaws
in the foundations of quantum theory, and Bohr and others would soon
come up with answers to Einstein's objections.  So it is no wonder
that in this regard Einstein would look stodgy.  The quotation,
whether it is worded accurately or not, is indicative of Einstein's
personal belief, and therefore has been used as a famous example of
how even great minds could reject new theoretical discoveries.

Having said all that, I must say that I am on Einstein's side in this
issue.  It is certainly a minority opinion among physicists today.


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