Knowledge or imagination?

Even though Einstein would go on to make countless scientific breakthroughs, his discovery of General Relativity always stood out as his most monumental achievement. During a 1929 interview with the Saturday Evening Post, journalist George Sylvester Viereck had a fascinating conversation with Einstein that captured his unique way of thinking:

Einstein shared, “I believe in intuitions and inspirations. I sometimes feel that I am right. I do not know that I am. When two expeditions of scientists, financed by the Royal Academy, went forth to test my theory of relativity, I was convinced that their conclusions would tally with my hypothesis. I was not surprised when the eclipse of May 29, 1919, confirmed my intuitions. I would have been surprised if I had been wrong.”

Viereck then asked, “Then you trust more to your imagination than to your knowledge?”

Einstein responded with a smile, “I am enough of the artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”