Einstein’s Response to Phyllis

Category: Albert Einstein, Epistemology, Logos, Metaphysics

Last Updated: 19 Apr 2023

Pages: 2 Views: 671

Albert Einstein considered the greatest scientist of the 20th century hopes to accurately respond to Phyllis’s letter that asked him whether scientists prayed and if they did what did they pray about. Einstein’s response is rhetorically accurate in the fact that he lets Phyllis know the answer to her question in an understandable manner and is not abrupt.

Einstein’s audience is a sixth-grade student so he answered his question by saying “no” in a kind way.The writer Einstein uses pathos and logos to allow his point to clearly shine; he also uses simplistic diction to recreate his audiences understanding. Einstein addresses Phyllis personally and simply, he does not refer to anyone else. When Einstein declares that “scientific research is based on the idea that everything that takes place is determined by laws of nature, and therefore this holds for the actions of people,” he involves his passion for science and what his ideas are based upon appealing to the passion of his audience.Einstein also speaks of man’s modest powers and about feeling humble whether in the face of a superior spirit or nature especially when he states “a spirit vastly convinced that a spirit is manifest in the laws of the Universe –a spirit vastly superior to that of a man, and one in the face of which we, with our modest powers must feel humble. ” The writer Einstein looks at both sides of the argument and admits that science is imperfect. He relates the laws of nature to a sort of faith.

He assumes that most people have a belief in a “higher power” regardless of its manifestation, meaning he is offering logic to Phyllis.For the reason that Einstein addresses Phyllis a sixth-grade student his diction is simple to a degree that it makes sense to her. Einstein’s plain diction explains his answer to Phyllis’s question with word such as “simply” and “reason”. Because Phyllis is only a junior high attendee he has to assure that what he writes to her makes complete sense but is still easy enough for her to comprehend his answer and he is fully aware of this when he writes “I have tried to respond to your question as simply as I could. In all of his answer he very much accurately uses rhetorical language to respond to Phyllis’s question about whether scientists pray and if so, what do they pray about. He appeals to logos and pathos in his letter, allowing his audience a sixth grade student comprehends his answer. Einstein uses plain diction to ensure that Phyllis does not become confused and can know what Einstein was trying to convey across.

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