A human being is part of a whole, called by us the Universe, a part...

Who said "A human being is part of a whole, called by us the Universe, a part... "?

"A human being is part of a whole, called by us the Universe, a part... " is one of a famous quotes by Albert Einstein. Complete quote is as follows;
"A human being is part of a 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 his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."

What is "A human being is part of a whole, called by us the Universe, a part... "?

"A human being is part of a 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 his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty." This is a quote by Albert Einstein which is about Society, Wisdom & Community. He is known to have been associated with numerous other thought provoking quotes on these topics like;

• Why should society feel responsible only for the education of children, and not for the education of all adults of every age?
• Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.
• The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

What does "A human being is part of a whole, called by us the Universe, a part... " mean?

This quote is primarily about Community although it also includes other themes like Society, Wisdom & Community. It is attributed to Albert Einstein. Complete quote is as follows;
"A human being is part of a 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 his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."