My noodle

Einstein’s letter to Phyllis Wright, in response to her question as to whether scientists pray was, I believe, an overall rhetorically effective response.  Though he said, “I have tried to respond to your question as simply as I could.  Here is my answer,”  his answer was not really simple.  As a 17 year old boy myself, with years of honors English classes and diligent school work under my belt, I found this letter difficult to comprehend, and understanding that his audience was a sixth grade girl, I believe it was rhetorically effective, but lacking in actually answering her question.  Not only was it poorly done, his context was less than perfect.  Einstein compares events  influenced by prayer to just wishes to a supernatural being.  But most religions believe prayer is a direct communication to a heavenly father, or to whom they believe is the creator of the earth.  Einstein obviously misunderstood religious prayers for wishes, which is not correct in context.  Ethos was established simply through his reputation and by signing his name.  I didn’t find a lot of pathos in his response, with the possible exception of phrases such as “a spirit vastly superior to that of man,” and “we with our modest powers must feel humble.”  Logos was used when he stated that scientific research is based on laws of nature,  and he used also used a kind of counter logic when he stated that man’s knowledge of these laws is only  imperfect and fragmentary.  So with that said, I believe that though it was rhetorically effective, Einstein did a poor job of making his answer clear for his audience.