# Retrospectively Diagnosing Einstein with Asperger's Syndrome and the Dismal Failure of Debunking Myths

**Authors:** Galina Weinstein  
**arXiv:** [2305.01308](https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.01308)  
**Date:** 2023-05-02  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/arxiv-id/2305.01308v1/

## Key points

- Historians object to diagnosing deceased scientists based on scant evidence, calling these diagnoses myths
- Despite this, Einstein has been constantly diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome
- Private letters found in the Collected Papers of Albert Einstein reveal he was brilliant, inspirational, abrasive and rebellious
- Biographies and books have been written on Einstein's private life based on this evidence, leading to retrospective diagnoses of all sorts of things
- Historians fiercely object to this abuse of his privacy and engage in futile efforts to protect it
- However, historians are susceptible to biases like any other scholar
- Simon Baron-Cohen's diagnosis of Einstein with Asperger's syndrome started this trend.

## Summary

Historians have fiercely objected to the trend of diagnosing deceased scientists by reconstructing from scant evidence, calling these diagnoses myths. Despite their efforts at demolishing myths, Einstein has been constantly diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. Private letters found in the Collected Papers of Albert Einstein reveal that he was brilliant, inspirational, abrasive and rebellious - precisely the type of truth-seeker to create a scientific revolution. People have written biographies and books on Einstein’s private life based on this evidence, leading to retrospective diagnoses of all sorts of things. Historians who care about Einstein’s legacy fiercely object to this abuse of his privacy and engage in futile efforts to protect it. However, it turns out that historians are susceptible to biases like any other scholar. Simon Baron-Cohen's diagnosis of Einstein with Asperger's syndrome started this trend of diagnosing deceased scientists based on scant evidence.