Page 283 - Encyclopedia Of World History

einstein, albert 633

I never think of the future—it comes soon
enough. • Albert Einstein (1879–1955)
Albert Einstein:
Out of My Later Years

The excerpt below was taken from Dr. Albert Ein-
in theoretical physics. For the most part these texts were stein’s collection of essays that appeared early in
written in his spare time and without the benefit of close 1950: Out of My Later Years. The distinguished
contact with either scientific literature or theoretician col- physicist thought they needed no personal
leagues.The publication of one paper, “A New Determi- introduction.
nation of Molecular Dimensions,” and its submission to
To be sure, the World War had already shaken
the University of Zurich won him a doctoral degree in
this feeling of security. The sanctity of life van-
1905. Einstein’s paper provided convincing evidence for
ished and the individual was no longer able to do
the physical existence of atom-sized molecules, a much-
as he pleased and to go where he liked. The lie
theorized topic. In 1908 he sent a second paper to the
was raised to the dignity of a political instrument.
University of Bern, which got him a job there as a lec-
The War was, however, widely regarded as an
turer.The next year he received an appointment as asso-
external event, hardly or not at all as the result of
ciate professor of physics at the University of Zurich.
man’s conscious planful action. It was thought of
One paper, on the production and transformation of
as an interruption of man’s normal life from the
light, revolutionized the theory of light. Still another, con-
outside, universally considered unfortunate and
taining his special theory of relativity, had its beginnings
evil. The feeling of security in regard to human
in an essay he had written at age sixteen.The theory pos-
aims and values remained, for the main part,
tulated that if, for all frames of reference, the speed of
unshaken.
light is constant, and if all natural laws are the same, then
The subsequent development is sharply
both time and motion are relative to the observer. The
marked by political events that are not as far-
follow-up paper, “Does the Inertia of a Body Depend
reaching as the less easily grasped socio-
upon Its Energy Content?” established the equivalence of
psychological background. First a brief, promis-
mass and energy, commonly expressed in the formula
ing step forward characterized by the creation of
2
E=mc .The theory remained controversial for many years
the League of Nations through the grandiose ini-
before its mainstream acceptance.
tiative of Wilson, and the establishment of a sys-
This outpouring of brilliance in such a short time made
tem of collective security among the nations.
Einstein the leading scientific thinker among Europe’s
Then the formation of Fascist states, attended by
physics community, though public understanding of his
a series of broken pacts and undisguised acts of
theories was years away. After moving quickly from one
violence against humanity and against weaker
university post to another, in 1914 he became professor
nations. The system of collective security col-
at the prestigious Prussian Academy of Science in Berlin.
lapsed like a house of cards- a collapse the con-
He occasionally lectured at the University of Berlin, but
sequences of which cannot be measured even
from this time on he never again taught regular university
today. It was a manifestation of weakness of
courses. He remained there until 1933, when the rise of
character and lack of responsibility on the part of
fascism in Germany impelled him to leave for an analo-
the leaders in the affected countries, and of short-
gous research position in the United States, at the Insti-
sighted selfishness in the democracies—those
tute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, a
that still remain outwardly intact—which pre-
position he held until his death.
vented any vigorous counterattack.
In his work after 1905, Einstein had made important
contributions to the quantum theory, but increasingly Source: Einstein, A. (1950). Out of my later years. New York: Philosophical
Library.
thereafter he focused on perfecting his theory of relativ-
ity. By 1916, he had completed his general theory of