March 20, 2025 – A newly discovered collection of letters written by Albert Einstein is shedding light on his personal views regarding science, philosophy, and the future of humanity. The letters, found in a private archive in Switzerland, offer a rare glimpse into the mind of one of history’s greatest physicists.
The collection, which includes correspondence from the 1920s to the 1950s, reveals Einstein’s concerns about nuclear weapons, artificial intelligence, and the ethical responsibilities of scientists. In one letter dated 1947, he warns about the dangers of nuclear proliferation, writing, “The power we have unleashed must be tempered with wisdom, or we risk a catastrophe beyond our comprehension.” This aligns with his well-known advocacy for nuclear disarmament following World War II.
Another letter, addressed to an unknown colleague in 1931, discusses the potential future of artificial intelligence. Though AI was a relatively unknown concept at the time, Einstein speculated that machines might one day challenge human intelligence, stating, “If we teach machines to think, we must also teach them values, lest they surpass us without understanding the meaning of wisdom.”
The letters also touch on Einstein’s deep philosophical views. In a note to his close friend Michele Besso, he wrote, “Time is an illusion, albeit a persistent one,” a phrase that reflects his revolutionary ideas on space-time and relativity.
Historians and scientists alike are hailing these discoveries as a major breakthrough in understanding Einstein’s intellectual legacy. The documents will be displayed at the Einstein Archives in Jerusalem later this year, allowing the public to explore the hidden thoughts of one of the greatest minds in history.
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