Balzan Prizewinners Interdisciplinary Forum 2009 Terence Cave (Literature since 1500) Michael Grätzel (The Science of New Materials) Brenda Milner (Cognitive Neurosciences) Paolo Rossi Monti (The History of Science) Thursday, 19 November 2009 at the Swiss National Science Foundation, Berne Contents Alberto Quadrio Curzio, Chairman of the Joint Commission established by the International Balzan Foundation “Prize”, the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences and the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei Foreword …………………………………………………………………… Pag. 9 Profiles: International Balzan Foundation …………………………………………… » 11 Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences …………………………………… » 12 Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei ………………………………………… » 12 Dieter Imboden, President of the Research Council of the Swiss National Science Foundation Opening Remarks ………………………………………………………… » 13 Salvatore Veca, Chairman of the Balzan General Prize Committee Welcome Address …………………………………………………………… » 16 Chair I Peter Suter, President of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences …… » 18 Werner Stauffacher, Vice-Chair of the Balzan General Prize Committee Presentation of Brenda Milner, 2009 Balzan Prize for Cognitive Neurosciences » 18 Brenda Milner: Early Clues to the Cerebral Organization of Memory … » 19 Comments, Questions and Preliminary Discussion (Dominique de Quer- vain, University of Basel) ………………………………………………… » 29 Karlheinz Stierle, Member of the Balzan General Prize Committee Presentation of Terence Cave, 2009 Balzan Prize for Literature since 1500 … » 31 Terence Cave: Thinking with Literature ………………………………… » 32 Comments, Questions and Preliminary Discussion (Frédéric Tinguely, University of Geneva) …………………………………………………… » 40 5 Chair II René Dändliker, President of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences Pag. 45 Werner Stauffacher, Vice-Chair of the Balzan General Prize Committee Presentation of Michael Grätzel, 2009 Balzan Prize for the Science of New Materials …………………………………………………………………… » 45 Michael Grätzel: Light and Energy, Molecular Photovoltaics Mimic Photosynthesis …………………………………………………………… » 46 Comments, Questions and Preliminary Discussion (Frank Nüesch, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research) ………………… » 55 M.E.H. Nicolette Mout, Vice-Chair of the Balzan General Prize Committee Presentation of Paolo Rossi Monti, 2009 Balzan Prize for the History of Science …………………………………………………………………… » 57 Paolo Rossi Monti: The Past is a Foreign Country ……………………… » 59 Comments, Questions and Preliminary Discussion (Raphael Scholl, Uni- versity of Berne) …………………………………………………………… » 63 Chair III Peter Suter, President of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences …… » 67 The 2009 Prizewinners’ Panel: Terence Cave, Michael Grätzel, Brenda Milner and Paolo Rossi Monti Interdisciplinary Perspectives ……………………………………………… » 67 Bruno Bottai, Chairman of the International Balzan Foundation “Prize”. Closing remarks …………………………………………………………… » 79 The 2009 Prizewinners’ Research Projects ……………………………… » 81 Organizational Structure of the International Balzan Foundation Board of the “Prize” Foundation …………………………………………… » 91 6 General Prize Committee ………………………………………………… Pag. 92 Board of the “Fund” Foundation …………………………………………… » 96 List of Balzan Prizewinners For Literature, Moral Sciences and the Arts; For Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, and Medicine ……………………………………… » 97 For Humanity, Peace and Brotherhood Among Peoples …………………… » 103 7 Foreword Alberto Quadrio Curzio, Chairman of the Joint Commissions established by the International Balzan Foundation “Prize”, the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences and the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei: It is a great honour and indeed a remarkable satisfaction for me to write the foreword to this Balzan Interdisciplinary Prizewinners Forum, which marks the effective beginning of the Agreement on Collaboration between the International Balzan Foundation “Prize”1 (hereafter referred to as the Balzan) and two Academies: the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences2 and the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei3 (hereafter referred to as the Swiss Academies and the Lincei, respectively). As Chairman of the two joint commissions, established to make such collaboration fl ourish, I think it necessary to make a brief comment. Ever since becoming a member of the Balzan “Prize” Board, I have appreciated the fact that its Chairman, Ambassador Bruno Bottai, has stressed the fully international nature of the Balzan, while at the same time noting its strong historical roots in Italy and Switzerland. This is why I proposed that the Balzan Board evaluate a possible collaboration with the Swiss Academies and the Lincei. Thus, with the Balzan Board’s permission, I have had several separate meetings with the representatives of the Swiss Academies and the Lincei, that is, Professor Dr. René Dändliker and Professor Giovanni Conso, respective Presidents of the Swiss Academies and of the Lincei. I would like to take advantage of this occasion to thank them for their constructive attitude toward the proposal of collaboration. The main points of the agreements with the Swiss Academies and the Lincei are: 1) The promotion of the Balzan Prize and the presentation of the Prizewinners through the academies’ channels of communication, in Italy and Switzerland as well as abroad. By virtue of the relations of the Swiss Academies and the Lincei with academies of other countries and with international academic organizations, they will contribute to more widespread circulation of news related to Balzan; 2) On the occasion of the Awards ceremony of the Balzan Prize, held in alternating years in Berne and Rome, each academy will contribute to the scientifi c organization 1 s. profi le page 11. 2 s. profi le page 12. 3 s. profi le page 12. 9 of an interdisciplinary Forum, in the course of which the Prizewinners will present their scientifi c work and discuss it with other scientists proposed by the academies. In the years when the ceremony is held in Rome, one of the Prizewinners will give a Balzan Distinguished Lecture in Switzerland, and when the ceremony is held in Berne, a Balzan Distinguished Lecture will be organized at the headquarters of the Lincei in Rome; 3) After the commencement of the abovementioned activities, the academies will contribute to a series of publications in English (ideally with summaries in Italian, German and French), created by the Balzan, with the collaboration of the Balzan Prizewinners. To promote and supervise all these initiatives, two Commissions have been set up, one between the Balzan and the Swiss Academies (composed of Professors Dr. René Dändliker and Peter Suter as well as Dr. Markus Zürcher) and another between the Balzan and the Lincei (composed of Professors Sergio Carrà, Lellia Cracco Ruggini and Claudio Leonardi). Both commissions are chaired by myself as a representative of the Balzan, which is also represented by Professors Enrico Decleva and Paolo Matthiae, while the Balzan Secretary General, Dr. Suzanne Werder, has been appointed Secretary of both Commissions. I am confi dent, especially after having witnessed the success of this year’s Forum, that the abovementioned opportunities for collaboration will be benefi cial. These activities will certainly not interfere with the institutional activities of the Balzan – especially not with those of the General Prize Committee, which is composed of twenty eminent European scholars and scientists, and has its own statutory competence within the Balzan. The collaboration among these institutions will in fact contribute to spreading knowledge of the International Balzan Foundation on the international academic scene, thus consolidating its image as one of the most prestigious forms of recognition in the sciences and the humanities. 10 International Balzan Foundation The International Balzan Foundation was established in Lugano in 1956 thanks to the generosity of Lina Balzan, who had come into a considerable inheritance on the death of her father, Eugenio. She decided to use this wealth to honour his memory. Eugenio Francesco Balzan was born in Badia Polesine, near Rovigo (Northern Italy), on 20 April 1874 into a family of landowners. He spent almost his entire working life at Milan’s leading daily newspaper, Corriere della Sera. After joining the paper in 1897, he worked his way up from editorial assistant, to news editor and special correspondent4. In 1903 editor Luigi Albertini made him managing director of the paper’s publishing house; he then became a partner and shareholder in the company. He was not only a skilful manager but also a leading personality in Milan. In 1933 he left Italy due to opposition from certain quarters hostile to an independent Corriere. He then moved to Switzerland, living in Zurich and Lugano, where for years he had invested his fortune with success. He also continued his charitable activities in favour of institutions and individuals. He offi cially returned to Italy in 1950. Eugenio Balzan died in Lugano, Switzerland, on 15 July 19535. The International E. Balzan Prize Foundation – “Prize” aims to promote, throughout the world, culture, science, and the most meritorious initiatives in the cause of humanity, peace and brotherhood among peoples, regardless of nationality, race or creed. This aim is attained through the annual award of prizes in two general fi elds: literature, the moral sciences and the arts; medicine and the physical, mathematical and natural sciences. Nominations for the prizes in the scientifi c and humanistic fi elds are received at the Foundation’s request