“Honestly, I cannot understand what people mean when they talk about the freedom of the human will. I have a feeling, for instance, that I will something or other; but what relation this has with freedom I cannot understand at all. I feel that I will to light my pipe and I do it; but how can I connect this up with the idea of freedom? What is behind the act of willing to light the pipe? Another act of willing? Schopenhauer once said: Der Mensch kann was er will; er kann aber nicht wollen was er will (Man can do what he will but he cannot will what he wills).”

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About Albert Einstein

German physicist, early 20th century. His theory of relativity reshaped modern science, offering groundbreaking explanations of space, time, and gravity. Beyond physics, his accessible writings and public advocacy championed reason, curiosity, and the ethical use of knowledge.

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