albert einstein said free will was an illusion…and our sense of being an independent self is an illusion too. © Shamash alidina

As a former physics teacher and science enthusiast, I have a special fondness for Albert Einstein. So, I thought I’d share his thoughts on free will in this post.

Albert Einstein wasn’t just the genius behind E = mc² – he was also a playful philosopher at heart. Think of that famous photo of Einstein sticking out his tongue - the man had a cheeky side.

But when it came to understanding reality, Einstein’s ideas were deeply profound. He questioned some of our most basic assumptions about ourselves.

For instance, what if your sense of free will is just a grand illusion? And what if you – the individual you – are not as separate from the rest of the universe as you think?

In Einstein’s worldview, free will was an illusion, and all of nature (including us) is one intimately interconnected whole.

In this post, we’ll explore Einstein’s intriguing perspective on free will and the “illusion of the self,” and why he believed recognising these illusions can actually lead to greater compassion and peace of mind.

We’ll also see how his ideas connect with other thinkers like Sam Harris, Baruch Spinoza, and Alan Watts. The tone will be playful – very much in the spirit of Einstein himself.

“Free Will is an Illusion”: Einstein’s Deterministic View

Einstein firmly believed that free will as we commonly understand it does not exist. He saw the universe as governed by the laws of cause and effect – in his eyes, every event (including human decisions) has prior causes.

“I am a determinist,” Einstein said bluntly. “I do not believe in free will”.

This was not just a passing thought; it was a core part of his philosophy. In fact, Einstein often quoted the philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer’s dictum:

“Man can do what he wants, but he cannot will what he wills.”

This line so resonated with Einstein that he said it “accompany[ied] me in all situations throughout my life”

But what did Schopenhauer mean exactly, by his quote? He was saying we can act on our desires, but we don’t get to choose those desires in the first place – they arise from a chain of conditions beyond our control.

Einstein suggested that if a superior intelligence observed humans, it would “smile” at our illusion that we are acting according to our own free will.

In reality, he believed, we are as bound by the laws of nature as the Moon is bound by gravity. Our feelings of choosing freely are real to us, but from a higher perspective they’re part of a greater deterministic dance.

It’s important to note that Einstein’s view was shaped by both science and philosophy. He was fascinated by the ideas of Baruch Spinoza, a 17th-century philosopher who argued that everything in nature (or “God”) unfolds with necessity.

Spinoza wrote that “there is no absolute, or free, will” – the mind is determined to choose one thing or another by prior causes, “and this again by another, and so to infinity.” .

Einstein openly admired Spinoza’s outlook. He even said, “I believe in Spinoza’s God, who reveals himself in the lawful harmony of all that exists” – essentially a poetic way of saying he believed in the unity of nature and its laws, not a God who grants or tests our free will.

Einstein’s determinism was very much in line with Spinoza’s: both saw human actions as part of a natural chain of events, not as spontaneous acts of an independent soul.

The Self as an “Optical Delusion”: Interconnectedness in Einstein’s Universe

If free will is an illusion for Einstein, what about the idea of the individual self? Here Einstein offers us another bold insight: he felt that our sense of being a separate self is also an illusion – a kind of trick of the mind.

He famously wrote that

“a human being is part of the whole, called by us the ‘Universe,’ a part limited in time and space. [He] experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest – a kind of optical delusion of consciousness.”

In other words, we see ourselves as distinct individuals, but this is a mental mirage. In reality, we are inseparable from the rest of the cosmos.

Einstein didn’t mean “delusion” in a nasty way; he wasn’t saying we’re all crazy. By optical delusion, he meant that our mind’s eye habitually tricks us into feeling cut off from the whole, much like a lens that shows a fragmented picture.

This illusion of separateness, he said, functions like a prison for us – it restricts our affection and concern to just a few people nearest to us, rather than allowing us to feel one with all life. Breaking out of this prison means widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the beauty of nature as one indivisible whole.

Einstein saw the recognition of our interconnectedness as a kind of freedom – “freeing ourselves from this prison” of ego, as he put it.

It’s remarkable how scientific and spiritual this view is at the same time. Here is one of the greatest scientists of all time sounding almost like a Zen master or a mystic!

In fact, Einstein’s perspective resonates strongly with Eastern philosophies and modern mindfulness teachings.

Alan Watts on Choice

The philosoper Alan Watts, for example, loved to remind people that:

“what you do is what the universe does, and what the universe does is also what you do… You are something that the whole world is doing.”

In Watts’ words, “the whole universe is doing each one of us”. This mirrors Einstein’s point – we are not separate things floating in a vacuum - we are threads in a single magnificent tapestry of existence. Watts described it as “one unified process” rather than a bunch of isolated players.

Einstein himself was “fascinated” by this kind of unity. He admired Spinoza’s pantheism – the idea that God is the universe, that mind and body, and by extension all things, are aspects of one reality. He loved that Spinoza viewed the body and soul “as one, and not two separate things” .

This holistic vision likely reinforced Einstein’s conviction that the universe is an interconnected whole. From the curvature of space-time to the bonds of human empathy, Einstein saw underlying unity. The sense of a separate “I” is, in this view, as misleading as the sense of absolute free will.

Compassion and Calm Through Seeing the Truth of No-Free-Will

Hearing that free will and the individual self are illusions might unsettle us at first. Are we just puppets of physics? Does life lose its meaning if I’m not really in control? Einstein, and others who share his view, would answer with a smile: Not at all! In fact, recognising these illusions can be profoundly liberating and empowering.

One surprising outcome of Einstein’s belief was an increase in compassion and a reduction in personal anger.

Einstein noted that understanding the lack of free will helped him be more patient and forgiving. Knowing that people’s actions are shaped by countless factors, he said it “reconcile[s] me with the actions of others, even if they are rather painful to me.”

He described this awareness as something that “keeps me from taking myself and my fellow men too seriously as acting and deciding individuals, and from losing my temper.”

In plain terms, when you realise that someone who wronged you was inevitably shaped by biology and circumstance, it becomes easier to let go of anger. It’s not that bad actions suddenly become “okay,” but you see them in a broader context. You’re less likely to feel bitter or vengeful when you appreciate that “there but for the grace of conditions go I.”

Sam Harris on Free Will

Neuroscientist and philosopher Sam Harris makes a similar point. Harris argues, much like Einstein, that free will is an illusion – and he says this insight can actually increase our empathy. He shares that “seeing through the illusion of free will has lessened my feelings of hatred for bad people… when I think about the actual causes of a person’s behavior, the feeling [of hatred] falls away.”

Letting go of the idea that everyone is a little autonomous blameworthy ego in a vacuum, “on balance, it could only produce a more compassionate, equitable, and sane society,” Harris writes.

In other words, recognising that we’re all products of a vast web of causes can make us kinder to each other. We can focus more on understanding and mitigating harm than on futilely blaming or resenting others. This perspective naturally aligns with the core mindfulness principle of non-judgmental awareness – seeing things clearly without the extra layer of “could have been otherwise” drama.

Beyond compassion for others, accepting the deterministic nature of life can bring inner calm. If a lot of our anger and frustration comes from the assumption that people (including ourselves) could and should have chosen differently, removing that assumption can be a relief.

You might find it’s easier to forgive your own mistakes when you realise you were operating under particular conditions and limitations at that time. This isn’t a cop-out or denial of personal responsibility – it’s a shift toward understanding why we do what we do, instead of harshly blaming.

Paradoxically, understanding the causes of our behavior can empower us to change future behavior (through things like education, practice, and environment), more so than clinging to the myth of a mysterious free will would.

To sum up some of the benefits of seeing through the illusions of free will and separateness:

Greater Compassion and Forgiveness: When we understand that people’s actions are the result of countless conditions (genes, upbringing, current circumstances), it softens our stance. We become more empathetic and less quick to hate. Both Einstein and Sam Harris note that this leads to less anger and resentment toward others . Instead of immediately thinking “They chose to hurt me,” we consider what caused them to act that way, which often makes it easier to forgive or at least not take it as personally.
Reduced Anger and Blame: The urge to blame ourselves or others harshly can relax. Einstein literally said it kept him from “losing my temper” when others behaved poorly . Likewise, you might find that annoyances big and small don’t trigger you as much. For example, if someone cuts you off in traffic, you might think about how they might be having a stressful day (or simply made a human mistake), rather than feeling that it was a personal attack on your freedom. This attitude is very much in line with mindful acceptance – acknowledging what is happening without adding extra fuel to the emotional fire.
Humility and Connection: Realizing that “I’m not a totally independent self-made entity” actually brings a sense of humility. We see that our talents, our ideas, even our hard work, are influenced by so many things we didn’t choose – our genetics, our parents, our culture, mentors, luck. This insight can make us less arrogant about our successes and less judgmental of others’ failures. As Sam Harris notes, understanding the illusion of free will can make feelings like pride (and its flip side, shame) less compelling, because we recognise how much we owe to circumstances . This doesn’t negate the value of effort; it just puts things in perspective. We become more grateful and connected, appreciating the role of the wider world in each person’s story.
Mindful Acceptance and Peace: If everything is interconnected and unfolding as it must, then we can begin to accept the present moment more fully. This is a cornerstone of mindfulness practice: being present with “what is,” rather than fighting it with “what if” and “it should have been otherwise.” Accepting that a painful event or a personal setback couldn’t have not happened (because all conditions led to it) can help us let go of the exhausting mental battle against reality. Instead, we respond to difficulties with clarity and compassion. Ironically, seeing that we are not separately controlling the universe can relieve us of a huge burden – we stop over-personalising everything. As Einstein advised, we can step out of the ego’s prison and feel more at one with life’s flow . This often translates to a lighter, more peaceful mental state.

In short, Einstein’s “illusions” of free will and self aren’t a recipe for nihilism or passivity. They’re more like a doorway to empathy, kindness and equanimity. When we deeply internalise that we’re all part of the same unfolding process, anger and arrogance don’t find much solid ground to stand on. What grows instead is a sense of shared humanity and gentle understanding.

Kindred Thinkers: Sam Harris, Spinoza, and Alan Watts on the Illusion of Self

So Einstein certainly wasn’t not alone in these insights. It’s fascinating to see how his views converge with thinkers from very different backgrounds – from a 17th-century rationalist philosopher to a 21st-century neuroscientist to a mid-20th-century Zen-inspired sage. This broader context shows that the idea of free will as an illusion and the oneness of the universe is a theme that pops up across time and traditions.

Baruch Spinoza (1632–1677): Spinoza was a Dutch philosopher whom Einstein deeply respected. Spinoza believed in a single divine nature (often equated with God) that encompasses everything. In Spinoza’s philosophy, free will is an illusion born of our ignorance. We feel free because we know what we want, but we don’t see the countless causes that led us to want it. He wrote, “the mind is determined to will this or that by a cause which is also determined by another, and this again by another, and so to infinity”. For Spinoza, understanding this truth leads to greater peace – we stop blaming and instead seek to understand. His idea that God is nature, and that each of us is a mode of the one substance, reinforces the notion of an interconnected universe. Einstein’s belief in the “lawful harmony” of all that exists and his view that body and soul are one clearly echo Spinoza’s influence.
Sam Harris (1967–present): A neuroscientist and author, Harris is a modern proponent of the idea that free will is an illusion. He approaches it from the angle of brain science and philosophy. Harris points out that if you pay close attention, you don’t actually choose your thoughts – they simply arise. (For example, try to predict your next thought; you can’t, it just appears!) In his book Free Will, Harris argues that we are ultimately witnesses to our decisions, not their ultimate authors. Importantly, he emphasises the ethical upside of this view: dropping the belief in absolute free will can make us more compassionate and less angry, as we discussed earlier. Harris notes that accepting a deterministic view “should make divisive feelings such as pride and hatred a little less compelling” and can lead to “a more compassionate… society.” He often cites the example that we don’t hate a shark for attacking someone (since we know it’s driven by nature), so understanding that humans are also products of nature can similarly temper our hatred. Harris also connects this insight with mindfulness and meditation – seeing the self as an illusion that can be transcended, which aligns nicely with Einstein’s “optical delusion” metaphor.
Alan Watts (1915–1973): Alan Watts was a British-American philosopher known for popularising Eastern philosophy in the West. Like Einstein, Watts loved using witty analogies. He suggested that believing you are a completely separate ego inside a bag of skin is like being “hoaxed” – it’s not the true reality . Watts saw everything as one process. He famously said, “You are an aperture through which the universe is looking at and exploring itself.” In his playful style, he’d say the universe “peoples” just as an apple tree “apples” – meaning human beings aren’t outsiders to the universe, but expressions of it . This view dovetails perfectly with Einstein’s. The illusion of the independent self dissolves when you realise “the whole world is doing you” , as Watts put it. What remains is a sense of awe and unity. Watts, like Einstein, believed this realization should ultimately be light-hearted – a cause for joy and compassion rather than dread. He encouraged a sort of cosmic humour about the whole thing: if life is the universe playing hide-and-seek as us, we might as well smile at the wonder of it.

By seeing Einstein’s ideas alongside those of Spinoza, Harris, and Watts, we get a richer picture of this worldview. It’s a perspective that bridges science, philosophy, and spirituality. All these thinkers, each in their own way, invite us to question the default assumption that “I am a completely separate agent freely choosing everything.” Instead, they suggest we consider that life is a vast interconnected happening, and “me” is a part of it, not apart from it. This isn’t a nihilistic message at all – it’s an inspiring one that can fundamentally shift how we relate to others and ourselves.

Conclusion: Unity, Acceptance, and Personal Growth without the Illusion

Albert Einstein’s take on free will and the self leads to a beautifully mindful conclusion: we are tiny whirlpools in a great river, intrinsically linked to the flow, not isolated islands. Recognising this can be a relief. It doesn’t mean we throw up our hands and stop making effort. On the contrary, we continue living, loving, and learning – but with a new understanding that can make us kinder and more present.

When we drop the illusion that we alone are pulling all the strings, we may find a surprising sense of freedom. It’s the freedom of acceptance. We can accept ourselves and others as we are, with all our flaws and quirks, understanding they have come about for reasons. This acceptance is not passive, it’s active and warm-hearted. It creates room for personal growth precisely because we’re no longer tied up in knots of blame or arrogance. If anything, Einstein’s insight empowers growth: when you see the causes of suffering or unhealthy behavior, you can work on changing the conditions (through education, compassion, and wise action) rather than condemning a mythical freely willing self.

Most importantly, embracing Einstein’s perspective does not lead to nihilism. Life doesn’t become meaningless; if anything it can become more precious. Einstein himself lived a life full of passion – for physics, yes, but also for human rights, peace, and understanding. He didn’t sit back and say “Whatever, it’s all predetermined, so why care?” Quite the opposite. He cared deeply, but with a profound sense of humility and connection. He urged us to “widen our circle of compassion” and to admire the mysterious unity of the cosmos.

In practical terms, what can we do with this wisdom? We can start by simply noticing the next time we get upset at someone (or ourselves). Pause and reflect: if, as Einstein says, free will is an illusion, how might the factors beyond this person’s control have led to this moment? This reflection can soften the edge of anger and open the door to empathy. Or consider in a quiet moment of meditation the idea that you are a part of nature, inseparable from the air you breathe and the stars that shine above. Such contemplation can bring about a feeling of awe and belonging.

As Einstein wrote:

To sense that behind anything that can be experienced there is something that our minds cannot grasp… that is religiousness.

In a way, seeing through the illusion of the isolated self reveals a kind of spiritual reality – the “harmony of all that exists” that Einstein spoke of . It’s a perspective that fosters reverence for life.

So, let’s end on an empowering note. We might not have free will in the absolute sense, and our ego might be a clever illusion, but humans do have the ability to grow in understanding. We have the capacity to cultivate compassion when we realise everyone is doing the best they can with the hand the universe dealt them. Whether it’s free or not, we do have will and can commit to values if you choose to do so – like kindness, creativity, and curiosity – and recognise that those very impulses are the universe acting through us.

Instead of seeing ourselves as isolated little egos, we can see ourselves as waves in the ocean of existence – distinct for a moment, yet never separate from the ocean itself.

Einstein’s legacy is often thought of in terms of physics, but his insights on free will and interconnectedness might just be as important for our daily lives. They remind us that letting go of certain illusions doesn’t diminish us - it expands us. It allows the boundaries of the self to blur until, finally, “our circle of compassion” can include all beings (as big as the universe itself) . In that understanding, there is a profound peace.

As we each continue our journey – seemingly making choices, playing our part – we can do so with a light heart, a compassionate spirit, and a curious mind. After all, we are the universe in human form, and what a wonder that is!

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Einstein on Free Will: Why He Believed It’s an Illusion