“The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and science. He who knows it not and can no longer wonder, no longer feel amazement, is as good as dead, a snuffed-out candle.”
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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 "The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It…," circulates under Einstein's name and focuses on fairest, thing, experience. No strong source for the exact text was found, so the page presents it as commonly attributed while still explaining its practical connection to science and creativity.
When to use it
- Use "The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It…" in a science discussion, then ask which concrete claim the wording makes.
- Compare its treatment of fairest with thing 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.