Einstein: On Theoretical Physics

This short booklet is based on the address (or, its transcript) delivered before the Prussian Academy of Science by Einstein, in 1914, right after he was elected to a member of the Academy. Whether you agree with his opinion or not, Einstein was a deep thinker, and he always had unique views on the topics that were of general interest to people who cared about science (and, humanity). This article, in particular, provided his insight on the role of "principles" in the development of fundamental theories in physics.

A must-read for Einstein enthusiasts, or any serious students of physics!

This short article/transcript (roughly ~7 minutes) was originally published in German, and it is now in the public domain. This booklet attempts at a new translation to give a somewhat clearer account of what Einstein wanted to convey in his original address.

A completely new English translation - 2024!

Note: This article, "On Principles in Theoretical Physics", by Einstein and the Translator's notes are also included in the book, "Einstein's Seven Essays on Relativity, Geometry, and Scientific Methods" (2025).