Five Famous Faces: Answers
Created | Updated Aug 27, 2012
Did you manage to match the famous faces to their quotes? See how you did – Willem's got the answers.
Five Famous Faces: Answers
Answers:
1. and a. Albert Einstein. Einstein spoke a lot about God for somebody who supposedly didn't believe in Him. The above quote means that Nature seems to 'hide' its own laws to the investigator – whether scientist or philosopher – in subtle ways; we must therefore investigate very carefully to try and uncover the real truth. But this is not because Nature is spiteful or there is any trickery in its laws. . . Nature is 'subtle' rather than malicious. The truth is out there but might be hard to find.
Einstein's love of science and view of Nature, his sense of awe and wonder, and his moral sense, could be called religious. This is expressed in two other quotes of his: "There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; or you can live as if everything is a miracle," and "true religion is real living; living with all one's soul, with all one's goodness and righteousness."
In a world where there seems to be renewed conflicts between science and religion, one could ponder Einstein to realize how this doesn't need to be the case.
2b. Tenzin Gyatso, the current and 14th Dalai Lama. Here again he shows that there shouldn't be a conflict between religion and logic. Everyone must think rationally and critically about everything. Truth is only served if we test it thoroughly. Here we have someone from the religious side of the spectrum saying something very similar to what Einstein did! Also, religion does not necessarily require us to believe in a literal God or lots of doctrines. Another of the Dalai Lama's quotes: "My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness."
3c. Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens). And. . . it is a very, very profound and important point he makes! It is of course self-contradictory. . . and happens to be true! Any person speaking about 'Truth' should always keep it in mind. Mark Twain (Clemens as a writer, generally) was deeper than many people realize. He was profoundly concerned with social issues, very critical of general ideas, and in many ways ahead of his time.
4.d. Vincent Willem van Gogh. Vincent was a very sensitive person, and also very passionate in everything he did. It is no wonder the movie, starring Kirk Douglas doing an amazing visual impression of him, is called 'Lust for Life'. Vincent was a lover of humanity and of the world. In his tragically short career, his passion fuelled his remarkable productivity. The point he makes is still valid today: if you wish to accomplish anything in the short time given to you, then pour as much love as possible into everything you do.
5e. Charles Dickens. I am not sure when Dickens said this or how serious he was when he did, but he still makes an important point. We all really don't know anything for sure, but the wise man is he who realizes that he doesn't really know anything. Socrates supposedly made the same point back in the day. Dickens had a long and eventful life, had seen and experienced many things, and was one of the most prolific great authors of the English language. He spiced up his writing with a lot of humour and wit, and yet, like Mark Twain, always kept a keen conscience about social matters. He certainly did not know nothing; but the thing is, posterity is now doing the judging of what he did know.
I hope this influences some of you to read more about (and by) the above five famous characters!
