Kurt Lewin and Albert Einstein Quotes

"There is nothing so practical as a good theory"

Yes, Kurt Lewin, the founder of social psychology, did say this. He did, however, quote "a businessman." Lewin, K. (1943). Psychology and the process of group living. The Journal of Social Psychology, 17, 113-131.

I believe it is still proper to cite Lewin here, because he wanted to stress the fundamental value of using theory to solve practical problems: We must "watch out that theory never breaks lose from its proper place as a servant, as a tool for human beings."

See: Taylor, S. E. (1998). The social being in social psychology. In D. T. Gilbert, S. T. Fiske, & G. Lindzey (Eds.), The handbook of social psychology (pp. 58-95). New York, NY, US: McGraw-Hill. (pg. 87)

"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them."

Albert Einstein apparently never said this. But in negotiations it is often true.