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

Authors: Galina Weinstein

arXiv: 2305.01308v1 - DOI (physics.hist-ph)
An updated version of my lecture delivered at the conference "Actually Autism", Ben-Gurion University, April 20, 2023
License: CC BY 4.0

Results of the summarizing process for the arXiv paper: 2305.01308v1

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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.
AI-generated keywords: Einstein Asperger's Syndrome Historians Biographies Retrospective Diagnoses

AI-generated 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.
Also access our AI generated: Comprehensive summary, Lay summary, Blog-like article; or ask questions about this paper to our AI assistant.

Abstract: In 2003, Simon Baron-Cohen, a world expert on autism, diagnosed Einstein posthumously with Asperger's syndrome. I think we cannot diagnose a dead person. Historians of science have fiercely objected to this trend of diagnosing deceased scientists by reconstructing from scant evidence, calling these diagnoses myths. Despite the historians' efforts at demolishing myths, Einstein has been constantly diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. I will stick my neck out and suggest in this paper that although historians' critique of Baron-Cohen and others includes debunking myths, it piggybacks on another myth that uses the following metaphors: a dull and socially adept Einstein who worked at Zurich, Prague, Berlin, and Princeton, an industrious scientist who earned his living through his work as a professor at the university; he had a special gift of friendship and collegiality, and he was deeply embedded in the academic community. These explanations do not make sense from the perspective of Einstein sitting in his office at Princeton, let alone Einstein sitting in the patent office. This perhaps explains the tendency of people to find counterclaims and myths more persuasive than historians' explanations which seem deeply problematic.

Submitted to arXiv on 02 May. 2023

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