Einstein (130 page)
Authors: Walter Isaacson
25
. For a two-minute home movie of the conference shot by Irving Langmuir, the 1932 Nobel Prize winner in chemistry, see www.maxborn.net/index.php? page=filmnews.
26
. Einstein to Hendrik Lorentz, Sept. 13, 1927, AEA 16-613.
27
. Pauli, 121.
28
. John Archibald Wheeler and Wojciech Zurek,
Quantum Theory and Measurement
(Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1983), 7.
29
. Fölsing, 589; Pais 1982, 445, from Proceedings of the Fifth Solvay Conference.
30
. Heisenberg 1989, 116.
31
. Niels Bohr, “Discussion with Einstein,” in Schilpp, 211–219, offers a detailed and loving description of the Solvay and other discussions; Otto Stern recollections, in Pais 1982, 445; Fölsing, 589.
32
. “Reports and Discussions,” in
Solvay Conference of 1927
(Paris: GauthierVillars, 1928), 102. See also Travis Norsen, “Einstein’s Boxes,”
American Journal of Physics,
vol. 73, Feb. 2005, pp. 164-176.
33
. Louis de Broglie, “My Meeting with Einstein,” in French, 15.
34
. Einstein, “Speech to Professor Planck,” Max Planck award ceremony, June 28, 1929.
35
. Léon Rosenfeld, “Niels Bohr in the Thirties,” in Rozental 1967, 132.
36
. Niels Bohr, “Discussion with Einstein,” in Schilpp, 225–229; Pais 1982, 447–448. I am grateful to Murray Gell-Mann and David Derbes for the phrasing of this section.
37
. Einstein, “Maxwell’s Influence on the Evolution of the Idea of Physical Reality,” 1931, in Einstein 1954, 266.
38
. Einstein, “Reply to Criticisms” (1949), in Schilpp, 669.
39
. A fuller discussion of Einstein’s realism is in chapter 20 of this book. For contrasting views on this issue, see Gerald Holton, “Mach, Einstein, and the Search for Reality,” in Holton 1973, 219, 245 (he argues that there is a very clear change in Einstein’s philosophy: “For a scientist to change his philosophical beliefs so fundamentally is rare”); Fine, 123 (he argues that “Einstein underwent a philosophical conversion, turning away from his positivist youth and becoming deeply committed to realism”); Howard 2004 (which argues, “Einstein was never an ardent ‘Machian’ positivist, and he was never a scientific realist”). This section also draws on van Dongen 2002 (he argues, “Broadly speaking, one can say that Einstein moved from Mach’s empiricism, earlier in his career, to a strong realist position later on”). See also Anton Zeilinger, “Einstein and Absolute Reality,” in Brockman, 121–131.
40
. Einstein, “On the Method of Theoretical Physics,” the Herbert Spencer lecture, Oxford, June 10, 1933, in Einstein 1954, 270.
41
. Einstein 1949b, 89.
42
. Einstein, “Principles of Theoretical Physics,” inaugural address to the Prussian Academy, 1914, in Einstein 1954, 221.
43
. Einstein to Hermann Weyl, May 26, 1923, AEA 24-83.
44
. John Barrow, “Einstein as Icon,”
Nature
, Jan. 20, 2005, 219. See also Norton 2000.
45
. Einstein, “On the Method of Theoretical Physics,” the Herbert Spencer lecture, Oxford, June 10, 1933, in Einstein 1954, 274.
46
. Steven Weinberg, “Einstein’s Mistakes,”
Physics Today
(Nov. 2005): “Since Einstein’s time, we have learned to distrust this sort of aesthetic criterion. Our experience in elementary-particle physics has taught us that any term in the field equations of physics that is allowed by fundamental principles is likely to be there in the equations.”
47
. Einstein, “Latest Developments of the Theory of Relativity,” May 23, 1931, the third of three Rhodes Lectures at Oxford, this one coming on the day he was awarded his honorary doctorate there. Reprinted in the
Oxford University Gazette
, June 3, 1931.
48
. Einstein, “On the Method of Theoretical Physics,” Oxford, June 10, 1933, in Einstein 1954, 270.
49
. Marcia Bartusiak, “Beyond the Big Bang,”
National Geographic
(May 2005). Elsa’s quip is widely reported but never fully sourced. See Clark, 526.
50
. Associated Press, Dec. 30, 1930.
51
. Einstein to Michele Besso, Mar. 1, 1931, AEA 7-125.
52
. Greene 2004, 279: “That would certainly have ranked among the greatest discoveries—it may have been
the
greatest discovery—of all time.” See also Edward W. Kolb, “The Greatest Discovery Einstein Didn’t Make,” in Brock-man, 201.
53
. Einstein,“On the Cosmological Problem of the General Theory of Relativity,” Prussian Academy, 1931; “Einstein Drops Idea of ‘Closed’ Universe,”
New York Times
, Feb. 5, 1931.
54
. Einstein 1916, appendix IV (first appears in the 1931 edition).
55
. Gamow 1970, 149.
56
. Steven Weinberg, “The Cosmological Constant Problem,” in
Morris Loeb Lectures in Physics
(Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press 1988); Steven Weinberg, “Einstein’s Mistakes,”
Physics Today
(Nov. 2005); Aczel 1999, 167; Krauss 117; Greene 2004, 275–278; Dennis Overbye, “A Famous Einstein ‘Fudge’ Returns to Haunt Cosmology,”
New York Times
, May 26, 1998; Jeremy Bernstein, “Einstein’s Blunder,” in Bernstein 2001, 86–89.
57
. Lawrence Krauss of Case Western Reserve and Michael Turner of the University of Chicago have argued that an explanation of the universe requires use of a cosmological term that is different from the one Einstein added into his field equations and then discarded. Their version arises from quantum mechanics, not general relativity, and is based on the premise that even “empty” space does not necessarily possess zero energy. See Krauss and Turner, “A Cosmic Conundrum,”
Scientific American
(Sept. 2004).
58
. “Einstein’s Cosmological Constant Predicts Dark Energy,”
Universe Today
, Nov. 22, 2005. This particular headline was based on a research project known as the Supernova Legacy Survey (SNLS). According to a press release from Caltech, SNLS “aims to discover and examine 700 distant supernovae to map out the history of the expansion of the universe. The survey confirms earlier discoveries that the expansion of the universe proceeded more slowly in the past and is speeding up today. However, the crucial step forward is the discovery that Einstein’s 1917 explanation of a constant energy term for empty space fits the new supernova data very well.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: TURNING FIFTY
1
. Vallentin, 163.
2
.
New York Times
, Mar. 15, 1929.
3
. Reiser, 205.
4
. Reiser, 207; Frank 1947, 223; Fölsing, 611.
5
. www.einstein-website.de/z_biography/caputh-e.html; Jan Otakar Fischer, “Einstein’s Haven,”
International Herald Tribune
, June 30, 2005; Fölsing, 612; Einstein to Maja Einstein, Oct. 22, 1929; Erika Britzke, “Einstein in Caputh,” in Renn 2005d, 272.
6
. Vallentin, 168.
7
. Reiser, 221.
8
. Einstein to Betty Neumann, Nov. 5 and 13, 1923. These letters are part of a set given to Hebrew University and are not catalogued in the Einstein archives.
9
. Einstein to Betty Neumann, Jan. 11, 1924; Pais 1982, 320.
10
. Einstein to Elsa Einstein, Aug. 14, 1924, part of sealed correspondence released in 2006; Einstein to Betty Neumann, Aug. 24, 1924. I am grateful to Ze’ev Rosenkranz of the Einstein archives in Jerusalem and Caltech for helping me find and translate these letters.
11
. Einstein to Ethel Michanowski, May 16 and 24, 1931, in private collection.
12
. Einstein to Elsa Einstein and Einstein to Margot Einstein, May 1931, part of sealed correspondence released in 2006. I am grateful for the help of Ze’ev Rosenkranz of the Einstein Papers Project for providing context and translation.
13
. Einstein to Margot Einstein, May 1931, sealed correspondence released in 2006.
14
. This is a sentiment that lasted through his life. Einstein to Eugenia Anderman, June 2, 1953, AEA 59-097: “You must be aware that most men (and many women) are by nature not monogamous. This nature is asserted more forcefully when tradition stands in the way.”
15
. Fölsing, 617; Highfield and Carter, 208; Marianoff, 186. (Note: Fölsing spells her name Lenbach, which is not correct according to the Einstein archive copies.)
16
. Elsa Einstein to Hermann Struck, 1929.
17
. George Dyson, “Helen Dukas: Einstein’s Compass,” in Brockman, 85–94 (George Dyson was the son of Freeman Dyson, a physicist at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton, and Dukas worked as his babysitter after Einstein died). See also Abraham Pais, “Eulogy for Helen Dukas,” 1982, American Institute of Physics Library, College Park, Md.
18
. Einstein to Maurice Solovine, Mar. 4, 1930, AEA 21-202.
19
. Einstein to Mileva Mari, Feb. 23, 1927, AEA 75-742.
20
. Ibid.
21
. Einstein to Hans Albert Einstein, Feb. 2, 1927, AEA 75-738, and Feb. 23, 1927, AEA 75-739.
22
. Highfield and Carter, 227.
23
. Einstein to Eduard Einstein, Dec. 23, 1927, AEA 75-748.
24
. Einstein to Eduard Einstein, July 10, 1929, AEA 75-782.
25
. Eduard Einstein to Einstein, May 1, Dec. 10, 1926. Both are in sealed correspondence folders that were released in 2006 and not catalogued in the archives.
26
. Eduard Einstein to Einstein, Dec. 24, 1935. Also in the sealed correspondence folders released in 2006 and not catalogued in the archives.
27
. Sigmund Freud to Sandor Ferenczi, Jan. 2, 1927. For an analysis of the interwoven influence of Freud and Einstein, see Panek 2004.
28
. Viereck, 374; Sayen, 134. See also Bucky, 113: “I have many doubts about some of his theories. I think Freud placed too much emphasis on dream theories.
After all, a junk closet does not bring everything forth . . . On the other hand, Freud was very interesting to read and he was also very witty. I certainly do not mean to be overly critical.”
29
. Einstein to Eduard Einstein, 1936 or 1937, AEA 75-939.
30
. Einstein to Eduard Einstein, Feb. 5, 1930, not catalogued; Highfield and Carter, 229, 234. See translation in epigraph source note on p. 565.
31
. Einstein to Eduard Einstein, Dec. 23, 1927, AEA 75-748.
32
. Einstein to Mileva Mari