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During the first third of the Twentieth Century physics underwent two revolutions. The first was embodied in the theory of relativity which altered forever our concepts of space and time. The second was the rise of quantum theory which deals with atomic and sub-atomic physical systems, and marks an even more drastic break with the past.
The career of Albert Einstein is remarkable in its relation to these two revolutions: almost alone, he was responsible for the first; at the same time he was surely the most eminent of the comparatively small band of physicists who never accepted the second. The reason—the stated reason—for Einstein's rejection of quantum theory lay in its probabilistic nature. For quantum theory asserts that, at least on the atomic and subatomic levels, we can analyze natural phenomena only in terms of probabilities. We cannot say where a hydrogen atom is, we can only calculate the probability that a measurement will show it to be in a particular place. We cannot know with certainty how fast an alpha particle is moving, we can only calculate the probability that a measurement will show it to be moving with a particular speed.
To Einstein this was evidently deeply repellent, and his comment, “I shall never believe that God plays dice with the world,”1 is a famous expression of his attitude. His belief was deep-seated and deeply felt, and it is impossible to question the sincerity of his convictions. But it seems to me that there may have been an additional motive underlying Einstein's rejection of quantum theory other than his antagonism towards the probabilistic interpretation which was based on a profound philosophical conviction.