"Most of the fundamental ideas of science are essentially simple, and may, as a rule, be expressed in a language comprehensible to everyone"
About this Quote
The intent isn’t anti-math; it’s anti-obfuscation. Einstein knew better than anyone that physics becomes technical fast. But he’s separating the necessity of precision from the habit of hiding behind it. If a scientist can’t render an idea in plain language, that can signal more than a communication gap; it can reveal conceptual murkiness, or a culture that rewards sounding difficult over being clear.
The subtext lands as a democratic provocation. “Comprehensible to everyone” is a rebuke to gatekeeping, and a defense of public intelligence. It also flatters the non-specialist without pandering: you may not do the calculations, but you’re entitled to the meaning. In a century shaped by relativity, nuclear power, and mass propaganda, that matters. The stakes of science aren’t confined to labs; they spill into policy, war, industry, and daily life. Einstein’s line reads like a reminder that if science is going to govern the modern world, it can’t be allowed to speak only in code.
Quote Details
| Topic | Science |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite | Cite this Quote |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Einstein, Albert. (n.d.). Most of the fundamental ideas of science are essentially simple, and may, as a rule, be expressed in a language comprehensible to everyone. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/most-of-the-fundamental-ideas-of-science-are-32943/
Chicago Style
Einstein, Albert. "Most of the fundamental ideas of science are essentially simple, and may, as a rule, be expressed in a language comprehensible to everyone." FixQuotes. Accessed February 3, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/most-of-the-fundamental-ideas-of-science-are-32943/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Most of the fundamental ideas of science are essentially simple, and may, as a rule, be expressed in a language comprehensible to everyone." FixQuotes, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/most-of-the-fundamental-ideas-of-science-are-32943/. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.






