Saturday Forum | Albert Einstein: A Most Comprehensibly Incomprehensible Rebel–Genius

Discover how his deep belief that "concern for humanity and its fate must always form the chief interest for all technical endeavor" fueled the often-paradoxical creativity of the most genuine and brilliant non-conformist of our time.

“I want to know God’s thoughts…the rest are details.”

In 1905, five highly original scientific papers by an unknown patent clerk from Switzerland suddenly appeared in the world’s leading physics journal. They not only changed the course of modern science, but also dramatically enlarged our understanding of the universe and our place in its uncertain future.

The United Nations declared 2005 the “World Year of Physics,” in celebration of a century of unmatched technological progress, pioneered by the paradigm-changing early work of Albert Einstein. By the time he died at age 76 in 1955, Einstein had attained more fame than any scientist before or since, on par with Hollywood’s greatest celebrities. What was it about the eccentric genius with dreamy eyes that led to his unexpected glorification?

Behind the genius-icon is Einstein the man, deceivingly unassuming and witty, but gifted with unmatched intuition and perseverance that arguably led him to greater insights, not just in physics but also in philosophy and social activism, than achieved by anyone before or since. He was as much artist as scientist, with music in fact being his greatest love. And he was a highly spirited human being, whose love of beauty — including that of the fair sex — and justice not infrequently led to painful conflict with those both near and far.

Perhaps only The Beatles surpassed Albert Einstein’s puzzling popularity, four decades later. From the moment in 1919 when his space-time and mind bending Theory of General Relativity was verified experimentally, people from all walks of life on every continent recognized the name Einstein but, supposedly, at first only three people understood his theory.

This lecture, which includes numerous Powerpoint slides and photographs, will span the remarkable life and work of the past century’s most comprehensibly incomprehensible cultural icon. It will attempt to illuminate how Albert Einstein’s belief that “concern for humanity and its fate must always form the chief interest for all technical endeavor” fueled the creativity of history’s most genuine rebel-genius with a cause.

Walter Cicha is an award-winning scientist, public speaker, and Einstein historian. who recently returned to Vancouver after 15 years in the Northeast U.S. carrying out R&D with companies that included DuPont and GE.