August 26, 1947

Dear Solovine,

I am getting along well, with a few ups and downs, and so is Maja (all things considered). I was delighted to read your Epicurus. All in all, it would be hard to deny that the man’s system of ethics is logical. Against this, it seems to me that he fails to exhaust his subject, for the values shown as positive are to some extent incommensurable and can not without further elaboration be added or subtracted. Suppose, for instance, that we are convinced that the cumulative happiness of ants is higher than that of men. Would it then be right from the ethical point of view for men to surrender to the ants? Regardless, do not lose your temper because of me and my stubbornness, and rest assured that as far as heat and humidity are concerned, we can offer you large-scale competition.

I torment myself bravely with my main problem but without obtaining any decisive result.

With cordial greetings from all of us to you and your wife.

Your      

A. Einstein