How was I able to live alone before, my little everything? Without you I lack self-confidence, passion for work, and enjoyment of life--in short, without you, my life is no life. [Written to his wife, Mileva]

The state is made for man, not man for the state.... That is to say, the state should be our servant and not we its slaves

I believe that whatever we do or live for has its causality; it is good, however, that we cannot see through to it.

Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person.

The right to search for truth implies also a duty.

A man's ethical behaviour should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties and needs; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.

The history of scientific and technical discovery teaches us that the human race is poor in independent and creative imagination.