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Woodstock of Physics” Revisited by Bill Evenson

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Woodstock of Physics” Revisited by Bill Evenson History Physics NEWSLETTER of A F o r u m o F T h e A m e r i c A n P h y s i c A l s o c i e T y • V o l u m e X • n o . 3 • F A l l 2 0 0 7 Report from the Chair: Meeting Challenges to Science By Bill Evenson, Forum Chair hile retaining high credibility with the public in So what can history of physics do in the face of these general, science faces challenges to its authority challenges? Non-scientists need exposure to good history Wand reliability on particular issues on many fronts of science so they can understand that while scientific con- today. These include attempts to subordinate science to clusions are not final or absolute, nonetheless science is far political or economic interests, questions about the validity from arbitrary; it is supported by careful experiments and of cosmological and biological evolution, and conflicts over argument. Real science always includes false starts, errors, global warming and climate change. A common thread and misleading experimental results, and scientific conclu- running through all these challenges is that the findings sions are uncertain to some degree. But we need to teach of science have produced a picture of reality that conflicts students and the general public that not all uncertain knowl- with preconceptions that support a sense of individual edge is unreliable or dismissible. There are widely varying identity or with an existing worldview that is intertwined degrees of uncertainty in different kinds of knowledge. with economic or political or religious interests. The strength and breadth of evidence for a theory must be It is not the role of science—much less the history of weighed. And many scientific theories, including Big Bang physics—to challenge or undermine economic or political cosmology and neo-Darwinian evolution, are on very firm or religious commitments. Nevertheless, when these are ground indeed. In short, science needs to be judged on the inconsistent with the findings of science, the foundations basis of the strength of the evidence and arguments for its on which we build both our identity and the lenses through claims. And careful histories of science as it is actually car- which we see the world need to be adjusted. This is not to ried out can contribute importantly to the understanding of challenge beliefs, but to ask that the interpretations under- these issues by non-scientists and scientists alike. pinning these beliefs be understood as “interpretations” and hence subject to adjustment in their applications to scientific issues. Continued on page 2 INS I DE TH I S ISSUE General Forum Affairs 3 Pais Prize Lecture 4 March Meeting Reports 5 April Meeting Reports 9 Seven Pines Symposium 16 New Books of Note 17 We Hear That . 18 Forum Chair Bill Evenson, Utah Valley State College Meeting Challenges to Science Continued from page 1 I therefore urge that we bring in addition to a technical paper. Most of the development of quantum our interest in history of physics to of the history talks had to be scheduled mechanics.” He is the author of Con- strengthen the understanding of sci- for the usual 12-minute APS meeting cepts of Space (Harvard University Press, ence among our students and the gen- length in 2007, but we will continue 1954), Concepts of Force (Harvard Uni- eral public at every opportunity. to schedule 24-minute talks whenever versity Press, 1957), Concepts of Mass in Meanwhile, most of the regular possible, depending on the number of Classical Mechanics and Modern Physics Forum activity takes place among talks and the meeting rooms available. (Harvard University Press, 1964), The physicists, much of it at physics meet- In an innovation this year, we Conceptual Development of Quantum ings. You will read later in this newslet- reached beyond the March and April Mechanics (McGraw-Hill, 1966), The ter about many splendid sessions orga- meetings and cosponsored a session Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics (Wiley, nized by FHP at the 2007 March and at the Frontiers in Optics 2007/Laser 1974), Einstein and Religion (Harvard April APS meetings. More excellent Science XXIII meeting on the “history University Press, 1999), Concepts of sessions are planned for 2008 (see pre- of Bell’s Theorem and its experimental Mass in Contemporary Physics and Phi- liminary plans outlined on p. 3). Please verification.” This was the APS Divi- losophy (Princeton University Press, plan to attend the 2008 March meeting sion of Laser Science’s annual meeting, 2001), and Concepts of Simultaneity: (New Orleans, March 10–14) or April September 16–20, in San Jose. From Antiquity to Einstein and Beyond meeting (St. Louis, April 12–15) and to Two activities initiated by Virginia (The Johns Hopkins University Press, contribute to our sessions. Trimble have become very important 2006). Truly an outstanding record I am especially pleased to report for the Forum: donated support for of achievement. that many more contributed papers students giving contributed talks in in history of physics than ever before memory of a significant colleague who A Few Reminders: Please remind were submitted in 2007 for the March has passed on (John Bardeen and Rolfe students interested in the history of and April meetings, enabling us to Glover Studentships in 2007, thanks physics that the Forum can offer lim- have two contributed sessions at each to the Bardeen family and to Richard ited travel support to a few of them one. I urge you to continue this trend Prange) and donated sponsorships who wish to present talks at the March and report on your history projects for invited lectures at APS meetings or April APS meetings. They should through contributed talks again next (Franco Rasetti lecture in March 2007, apply be email to me, Bill Evenson, year. Any APS member can give a his- thanks to Bob Resnick, and Samuel K. at [email protected] after submitting tory talk at the March or April meeting Allison lecture in April, thanks to Jim their abstracts to APS. Also remember Cronin). The donors can choose who to send a short record of the work is to be honored (among deceased of retiring scientists (yourself or col- physicists), and the Forum program leagues) to the Center for History committee selects the speaker. of Physics, as explained by Virginia The Forum on History of Physics I was reminded by the recent death Trimble in the last issue of this newslet- of the American Physical Society of Ralph Alpher that not all contri- ter. Likewise, continue to send depart- publishes this Newsletter semian- butions to physics are adequately ment histories to the Center for His- nually. Nonmembers who wish appreciated and rewarded during the tory of Physics and [email protected]. to receive the Newsletter should physicist’s life. A named lecture or And please nominate your deserving make a donation to the Forum of studentship in honor of someone you colleagues for APS fellowship—see $5 per year (+ $3 additional for respect can be appropriate for those more on p. 3. airmail). Each 3-year volume con- who made important contributions, sists of six issues. with or without adequate attention Special thanks are due to now Past during their career. Please consider Chair Virginia Trimble for her signifi- Editor whether you can make a full ($1,200 cant leadership as well as financial con- Michael Riordan to $1,500 for named lectures) or partial tributions to the Forum these last three Institute of Particle Physics contribution and contact me or one of years. And welcome to those who were University of California the Forum officers. elected to the Forum Executive Com- Santa Cruz, CA 95064 The Pais Prize for History of Phys- mittee in 2007, who took office after [email protected] ics has been even more successful the April APS meeting: the new Vice (831) 459-5687 than hoped in calling attention to Chair Gloria Lubkin (American Insti- outstanding career-long work in phys- tute of Physics); and Gordon L. Kane Associate Editor ics history. The 2007 Prize recipient (University of Michigan) and George O. Robert H. Romer was Max Jammer, well known “for Zimmerman (Boston University), both Physics Department his groundbreaking historical studies elected to three-year terms as Commit- Amherst College of fundamental concepts in physics, tee Members-at-Large. n Amherst, MA 01002 including his comprehensive account [email protected] 2 Volume X, no. 3 • Fall 2007 • history of Physics newsletter Editors’ Corner Special Manhattan Call for Fellowship Project Session Nominations When I began serving as program chair several years ago, our con- By David C. Cassidy By Gloria Lubkin tributed sessions at the annual APS meetings were embarrassing. There The Forum on History of Phys- The FHP Committee on Fel- were none at the March meeting, in ics and the Forum on Physics and lows is seeking suitable candidates fact, and only a few forgettable papers Society are co-sponsoring an invited to be named APS Fellows through were delivered in a lightly attended session on the Manhattan Project, to the Forum on the History of Phys- session in April. be held during the next APS April ics. These nominations should be How things have changed. Now, Meeting, in St. Louis, MO, on 12–15 based on achievements in the history thanks to the efforts of our program April 2008. The speakers will be: of physics and must be sent directly chairs, the Forum offers contributed • Cynthia C. Kelly, President of to the APS office in College Park, sessions at both meetings—and they the Atomic Heritage Foundation.
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