Physical concepts are free creations of the human mind, and are not, however it may seem, uniquely determined by the external world.
Interpretation
Physical concepts are invented by humans and not solely shaped by the external environment.
In this quote, Albert Einstein emphasizes that the theories and concepts we have about the physical world are creations of human thought rather than direct reflections of reality. This highlights the importance of imagination and creativity in the scientific process, suggesting that our understanding of the universe is shaped as much by our minds as it is by concrete observations.
In practice
In a lecture about the philosophy of science, one could use this quote to discuss the role of human perception in understanding reality.
I cannot then believe in this concept of an anthropomorphic God who has the powers of interfering with these natural laws. As I said before, the most beautiful and most profound religious emotion that we can experience is the sensation of the mystical. And this mysticality is the power of all true science.
If I would follow your advice and Jesus could perceive it, he, as a Jewish teacher, surely would not approve of such behavior.
I want to know all Gods thoughts; all the rest are just details.
In the middle of adversity there is great opportunity.
I do not believe that civilization will be wiped out in a war fought with the atomic bomb. Perhaps two-thirds of the people of the earth will be killed.
To me the worst thing seems to be a school principally to work with methods of fear, force and artificial authority. Such treatment destroys the sound sentiments, the sincerity and the self-confidence of pupils and produces a subservient subject.
Every three weeks, we bring online as much solar power as we did in all of 2008...Thatβs why, over the past six years, weβve done more than ever before to combat climate change, from the way we produce energy, to the way we use it.
Adding CO2 to the air is like throwing another blanket on the bed.
Whoever, in the pursuit of science, seeks after immediate practical utility, may generally rest assured that he will seek in vain.
We have to understand the ubiquity of energy in everything we do. Energy is core to our economy and it brings with it environmental challenges, and it's core to our security challenges.
The calculus was the first achievement of modern mathematics and it is difficult to overestimate its importance. I think it defines more unequivocally than anything else the inception of modern mathematics; and the system of mathematical analysis, which is its logical development, still constitutes the greatest technical advance in exact thinking.
Contaminated water is not a problem limited to Flint. Think of New Jersey, where school fountains were found to contain unsafe levels of lead. Or the EPA's 33,000 superfund sites, which are highly-polluted areas that require long-term clean-up operations. The problem is so large that it feels insurmountable.
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