[David E]

"Man would indeeded be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death." --Einstein, Albert"

I wanted to comment on the Einstein quote you publish because it directly addresses the main question of this thread.

He is kind of right in that mankind is indeed in a bad way. While it's true that not everyone needs ultimate reward/punishment to regulate behavior, its also pretty obvious that many do. Many adults don't believe that those consequences exist in a literal way, but anyone who has raised children (or remembers their childhood) knows that reward and punishment are basic to creating behavior in those who can't see the bigger advantage to what they made to do. As they become adults, they don't consciously stop to think "I may go to hell for this", but they now have the feeling that it's wrong. This is not even a religious vs secular issue: Dessert / No TV works the same way as Heaven / Hell.

Now as adults, think about doctors who perform a needed service to society. If they became independently wealthy, how many of them would continue to practice for free? Aren't they motivated by the reward of earning a paycheck and trying to avoid not being able to make their house payment? Would you do your job if you were not paid? If not, are you in a poor way?

I don't see what's so distressing about these motivations. I'm much more concerned with results.

Two other points:

1. Are the billions who believe in the Vedic tradition of Karma (punishment and reward) "in a poor way"?

2. A mathematical genius does not necessarily have extraordinary perception in other areas. Intelligence does not equal wisdom.