Paize Ten
PERSPECTIVES
AL
A SCIENTIST AND HIS WORK
...H.E.Moses
IT sometimes happens that a scientific
discovery or theory has no immed-
iate practical use achieves great notor-
iety in a large segment of the literate,
non-scientific populace. Examples of
such theories are Copernicus' heliocen-
tric theory, Darwin's theory of evolu-
tion, and Einstein's theory of relativity.
That the 'first two above-mentioned
theories should excite people who are
not specialists in the fields in which the
theories apply is not surprising. These
theories put into concrete form the
dissatisfaction of many with the philo-
sophical, moral, and religious usages
which prevailed at the time these theo-
ries were proposed. Furthermore, the
theories were phrased in such simple
language that even the non-specialist
could understand them. These theories
pointed up the new attitudes that man
and his world were no longer to be
considered the final objectives of crea-
tion. On the contrary, they were small,
perhaps accidental, details of an im-
mense scheme of things. The bitter
controversies concerning the acceptabil-
ity of these theories were actually con-
troversies concerning the acceptabil-
ity of the new attitudes which had
produced these theories.
The theory of relativity, like the the-
ory of evolution and the heliocentric
theory, indicated that great changes in
the philosophy of science were occur-
ing. But unlike them it did not touch
o one's personal philosophy or moral
attitudes. Furthermore, the theory was
stated in such abstract terms and used
such specialized language that only
those skilled in mathematical physics
could expect to get the full meaning.
The extent of popular interest is, there-
fore, astonishing and has never been
completely explained. But as a result of
the unprecedented excitement which
the theory brought about Albert Ein-
stein was against his will thrust out
into the notice of the world as a sym-
bol of genius,
bol of genius. Phillipp Frank in his
book "Einstein: His Life and Times"
studies Einstein his theories and the
forces which have made Einstein, a
really remarkable man, the legendary
figure he has become in his own lifetime.
Einstein was born and raised in
southern Germany. Because of family
fisancial difficulties and his dislike of
German schools he went to school in
Switzerland where he eventually became
a citizen. His early scientific discoveries
including special relativity resulted in
his obtaining a position on the staff
of the University at Zurich and his
leaving his job at the Swiss patent
office. As his fame increased, he be-
came a professor at the German Uni-
versity at Prague and later transferred
to the staff of the Kaiser Wilhelm In-
stitute in Berlin. After the end of
the World War his theory of general
relativity, which had been published a
few years before, came to the attention
of the scientists of the Allied countries
and upon being verified experimentally
aroused the sensationalism surrounding
the theory and its inventor which per-
sists to this day. He came to the Insti-
tute for Advanced Studies at Princeton
just as Hitler was coming to power in
Germany.
Professor Frank is unusually well
suited to write Einstein's biography.
First of all, Frank is himself an eminent
theoretical physicist and is therefore a
competent interpreter of Einstein's in-
fluence on modern physics. Secondly-
and more important-Frank is a close
personal friend of Einstein's and is
thoroughly acquainted with Einstein's
life and environment, particularly since
Frank spent much of his career in the
same European academic atmosphere
as Einstein.
Frank presents a clean, precise image
of Einstein's personality, many charac-
teristics of which have stemmed from
Einstein's strong desire for personal in-
dependence. This attitude in Einstein
is so pronounced that he has always
disliked being identified with any group.
Thus in his youth he renounced his
membership to the Jewish community
in Germany (where in the Kaiser's re-
gime it had official status with the
other religious groups) and was com-
pelled much against his personal incli-
nations by Jews, non-Jews, and particu-
larly anti-Semites to become a Jewish
leader. In a similar way his immense
prestige forced him to express openly
his favor of pacifism, although later
governed by his pragmatic outlook, he
stated his conviction that the Nazis
should be stopped by force.
Frank shows further how Einstein's
desire for personal independence has led
to his rejection of close personal at-
tachments with individuals, even though
he has an interest in the welfare of
mankind considered as a collective con-
cept. Likewise Einstein has never com-
pletely accepted the middle-class aca-
demic environment in which he lives
but remains an outsider who looks in
with little interest and some good-
natured disdain.
Dr. Frank's discussion of the impor-
tance- of Einstein's theories to modern
physics will not be as easy to take by
lay readers as is his description of Ein-
stein as a man. Dr. Frank's discussion
is very competent and clear. But people
who are unacquainted with even the
more fundamental notions of physics
The Solipsist
--in the sands of solipsism
The lonely man sucks his immediate thumb
Examines the dull headache from within -
-heart shaped cavity;
To find a brisk incontinence -
resurgent childhood
His footsteps matched by smaller ones
His shaded eyes calmed by this company
Satisfied he admits the lure of other eyes
And succumbs, coldly to their reflection.
Quiet. Dreaming-the passing clouds lost
All in the eclipse of memories, forgotten.
The moist hand's pressure-recreated
Recalls the father to the son.
What shall I be to be like you.
What shall I do to do like you?
How shall I close ny eyes to look at you?
How each convention; piled one-
Upon the other, foreshortens germination.
To end experience-locked in silence.
- -the lonely man
His premature birth, but once denied
Outlives the timeless trance-
And the single liberated thought
Passes into the childhood's-recollected pain.
-June Friedenberg
such as mass, force, and energy will cer-
tainly find the material difficult.
In his discussion of Einstein's contri-
bution to modern physics, Frank points
out the deviation of modern physics
from the paths taken by the classical
nineteenth century physics. Modern
physics is considerably more pragmatic
than classical physics, which contained
a large element of mystical idealism.
Modern physics is almost completely
stripped of mysticism and its scope is
more clearly delineated. Its scope is to
describe in as simple and logical man-
ner as possible experimentally obser'-
able phenomena. Einstein's theories,
Frank shows, are expressed in the new
terms. In fact an achieveme.t even
more important than the theories them-
selves is that Einstein's theories have
helped put into concrete form the ob-
jectives of modern physics and the
inadequacies of classical physics.
Frank's book does not belie its title,
for it describes in some detail the
"times" of Einstein as well as his life.
Frank shows himself to be a shrewd ob-
server of the political and sociological
developments in Europe in the first part
of this century and to the reviewer
Frank's description of these matters
constitutes some of the most interesting
parts of the book. His analys of the
intensification of German natinalism
after the World War, thoug, a ot viery
elaborate, is acute and has areshness
which arises from Frank's having actu-
ally lived thiou'iout this peiod 'n
Europe. His pr sonsl familsitsy with
many of the retails of this tr-d tvs
the authentici 4 .hich man; of t e
writers. who write ithout such ontira.t
knowledge, lack,. ikewise h succ.t
descriptions of the cultures of 'he Yar
ous parts of Eurote in which E.insten
lised form a elainted ackdrop
against which " describes 'stein's
development.
Not the least o the charis of the
book is the style of writing. The writing
is smooth but has a backbone (f a de-
ceptiiely gentle humor. FurJerinore.
the book is. a ithe whole, well org'nized.
Thers is some rediancy in the dis-
cusosion of the ply" ..scp y of scienscc-,but
inasmuch as F : s view are cer-
tainly worthhl as flaw nis rhaps
not too serious.
MR. WESTLY AND THE STRANGER
0 * Continued from Page
he been one who chewed, he would have,
without question, spit.
"Wahl," said Mr. Westly. "Live and
larn." He spit, thoughtfully, and stared
at the church steeple. The stranger
rolled another cigarette. "Plumb out of
makin's" he muttered and threw the
empty tobacco sack into the road.
After a contemplative silence which
continued for several minutes, Mr.
Westly spoke.
"Stranger?"
"Uh."
"I'm obliged to ye."
"'Taint nothin', to speak of." The
stranger attempted to blow a smoke
ring. "Uh, you got terbacky makin's fer
sale?"
"W'y sure!" replied Mr. Westly ener-
getically. "Come in the store." The
stranger and I followed him inside.
"What brand d'ye favor?"
The stranger surveyed the well
stocked shelf of chewing tobocco, smok-
ing tobacco and snuff. "I'd like that
big sack of Bull Durham," he pointed,
"and three packs of papers and a box
of matches."
Mr. Westly placed these-on the coun-
ter. "It'll come to ten cents fer the
makin's and six cents fer the papers
and a penny fer the matches." He
wrote down the figures and added them
up. "That's seventeen cents."
"Uh," the stranger hesitated. "I'd
be obliged to ask fer credit. Ain't got
a cent on me."
Mr. Westly moved uneasily. "Wahl,
I couldn't credit a stranger who won't
never come back." he said, almost apol-
ogetically.
The stranger cleared his throat.
"Folks up the river always ask about
folks down the river," he suggested
thoughtfully and paused for a moment
and for effect. "I'd not say a word about
the stunt I learnt you, and I'd not say
how you'd been all wrong in usin' new
moons fer perdictions," he reached ten-
tatively for the makings, "because you
been so neighborly."
Mr. Westly tongued his wad. "Wahl . .
The stranger picked up his tobacco,
papers and matches, grabbed his cloth
satchel from the front porch and de -
parted, whistling contentedly as he dis-
appeared up the river. He left in such'
haste that Mr. Westly did not have
time to inquire as to his name, social
standing, health, business and philo-
sophical doctrine.
I stood beside the candy barrel, half
full of New Yoirk Chocolates.
"Mr. Westly?"
He regarded me suspiciously.
"Ain't got a cent on me." Under the
circumstances, I felt justified in say-
ing "ain't."
Mr. Westly gave me a pemy's worth
of New York Chocolates.
"And I reckon I won't have a cent
tomorrow."
Mr. Westly considered this. His rep-
utation in the community as weather
prophet was at stake. After a seem-
ingly long moment, during which he
contemplated me rather thoughtfully,
he acceded to my suggestion.
However, the next afternoon, con-
trary to the stranger's forecast, a
thunderstorm passed over Little Ben,
It rained quite hard for ten minutes.
When I arrived at the General Storey
I found Mr. Westly in his usual positions
on the keg"of ten-penny nails. Hew"
spitting contemptuously. And I knew
I would have to pay for my New Y rk
Chocolates. They cost three for a pen
ny.