Einstein's unique way of thinking contributed to his genius

Robbert Dijkgraaf is a theoretical physicist and Leon Levy Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. He is also the co-author of "The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge."

In this video, he explains how Albert Einstein saw the world in a different way from how most scientists see it. Following is a transcript of the video.

Einstein was a true genius and it’s the example that we all aspire to be as a scientist. But already as a child he had a very original way of thinking.

So from the very beginning, for Einstein, his imagination was crucial. He was not such a good student because he was a very original thinker.

And I think that was, kind of, the magic touch that he had. He always had a completely original point of view. He somehow didn’t conform to the existing theories, and he was always thinking in his own particular way.

His favorite way to operate as a scientist was the thought experiment. And he describes for instance, the crucial moment, where he essentially discovered the theory of general relativity.

He was watching workers on the roof of a building and suddenly thought whoa what would happen if they fell down. And then he realized, if you fall down, you no longer experience gravity.

And that, in some sense, that’s the natural motion and that actual led him to derive the theory of general relativity and described that moment as the happiest moment in his life.

And later he said something that I actually find personally very comforting: Is that imagination is much more important than knowledge because knowledge describes what we know. Imagination is describing everything that we can potentially know in the future.

[ashpod]

"Happiest moments of his life" Shows him thinking of the worker falling to his death

[googlebing]

'he was not such a good student, because he was a *very* *original* thinker'

[syaputraedwin]

Logic will get you from A to B, imagination will take you everywhere. – Albert Einstein

The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination. – Albert Einstein

Imagination is more important than knowledge. – Albert Einstein

[AndrejNikolov-xwgi]

Einstein was actually an A+ student. He just had problems with his teachers who thought he would never succeed in life.

[eternalbangtan]

I was like: I want to think and be like Einstein.

but then I remembered its like copying an original and that I'm better off on my way of thinking, after all that's what makes us all different and unique. but I still idolize Einstein, he's a great scientist.

Edit: English is not my first lol

[herberttheplant]

since i watched Genius i want to be like Albert Einstein

[SuperRedux]

This video says nothing about Einstein's way of thinking except for calling it original

[FRR]

Dude, you're wrong. He WAS a good student he always got good notes, you see his notes were some of the best note of his school/College, just watch Einstein's matriculation certificate at the age of 17.

(On a scale of 1–6, with 6 being the highest possible mark)
Welp, mediocre people want to scuse themselves saying "Aintstain got bad notes and look at him... i'm a genius!"
He got awesome notes and people thing he was one of the worst.

Investigate before misinforming.

English isn't my main language, so sorry if i make mistakes....
Edit: Forgot note scale and i had a little mistake with words.

[matthewwash]

So basically every 5 year old is a genius

[joaquin]

Everyone has an amazing imagination and ideas to invent new objects or ideas
*But then it's all lost when you tell yourself "Meh. Scientists are probably working on it already"*

[nathanchoi]

Imagination usually comes at a very high cost, it requires much mental resources, security brought by good interpersonal relationships, a good climate to encourage individuals to strive for achievement through creativity etc.

[surq]

Is it just me or was there some misinformation sent? Falling is still an act of gravity. The worker would neither be weightless or immune from gravitational pull.

[UpcycleElectronics]

The flip side of being an INTJ and 'original thinker' is that it makes relating to and working with other personality types difficult. This is especially the case when it comes to more conventional personalities in positions of authority.
The vast majority of the World's population are people with personalities centered around their emotions. They tend to place their feelings ahead of intuitive thinking abilities. For the 2% of people with the INTJ personality type (aka same as Einstein) nothing is more frustrating than being constrained by people who can't see past themselves. Being original is a hard life to forge through. Success for an INTJ often requires the right environment and support structure to enable them to excel.

[anonymousanoonymous]

I learned from him that way of thinking. It feels like everything will fall into your hands as time passes by, every information you need, every important details you need.

[rohanjeetdas]

I know many original thinkers...




*Sadly they're all broke.*

[johnthethirdful]

Maybe imagination is more important than knowledge, but most people don't even have the knowledge...

[armaan]

I don’t know why people say he wasn’t a good student. He did very well in exams. The lowest grade he got in school was French, and he maintained higher averages in college in comparison to his fellow students

[oliviatouba]

The poor worker's face at 1:00! 😂

[anybodynoname]

I consider creativity as a form of intelligence, Nikola Tesla was also a great example of this. Just by letting your mind go you can solve problems, which you can't with hard thinking.
'But instinct is something which transcends knowledge. We have, undoubtedly certain finer fibers that enable us to perceive truth, when logical deduction or any other willful efford of the brain is futile.' ~Nikola Tesla

Here creativity is derived from the universe, or, if you believe, from God. That is the instict we all have.

Thanks to Nikola Tesla, Albert Einstein and his wife, for leaving this inspirational view on life😊

[DrMerciless]

Didn't you just make a video that the idea that einstein of being a bad student was a myth?