“I find the idea quite intolerable that an electron exposed to radiation should choose of its own free will not only its moment to jump off but its direction. In that case I would rather be a cobbler, or even an employee in a gaming house, than a physicist.”
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Attribution note
No reliable primary or scholarly source confirms this exact wording as Albert Einstein's. It is widely circulated under his name and is listed as commonly attributed.
About this quote
This wording, beginning "I find the idea quite intolerable that an electron exposed…," circulates under Einstein's name and focuses on quite, intolerable, electron. No strong source for the exact text was found, so the page presents it as commonly attributed while still explaining its practical connection to creativity and wisdom.
When to use it
- Use "I find the idea quite intolerable that an electron exposed…" in a creativity discussion, then ask which concrete claim the wording makes.
- Compare its treatment of quite with intolerable in a lesson, essay, or editorial note before drawing a conclusion.
- Before sharing it as Einstein's exact words, display the attribution caveat and follow the evidence link recorded on the page.