History Physics NEWSLETTER A F o r u m o F T h e A m e r i c A n P h y s i cof A l s o c i e T y • V o l u m e X • n o . 4 • s P r i n G 2 0 0 8 Gerald Holton Wins Pais Prize By Daniel M. Siegel, Chair, Pais Prize Selection Committee, and David C. Cassidy he American Physical Society and the American an NSF-sponsored national curriculum-development project Institute of Physics have chosen Gerald Holton to co-directed by Holton. With its textbook, films, laboratory Treceive the 2008 Abraham Pais Prize for the History of exercises, and other materials, the Course brought physics, Physics “for his pioneering work in the history of physics, as seen through its history, to some 200,000 high school especially on Einstein and relativity. students a year. The book still exists His writing, lecturing, and leader- in a revised edition titled Under- ship of major educational projects standing Physics (Springer, 2002), introduced history of physics to a coauthored with David Cassidy and mass audience.” Holton joins previ- James Rutherford. This project not ous winners Martin J. Klein, John only influenced an entire generation L. Heilbron, and Max Jammer in of physics students and educators, receiving this distinguished prize, but it also inspired recent initiatives which will be awarded to him dur- by the NSF, the National Research ing the April 2008 APS meeting in Council, and the American Associa- St. Louis. tion for the Advancement of Science After receiving a certificate of to improve U.S. science education. electrical engineering from the Holton’s most widely admired School of Technology, City of Oxford, study in the history of modern phys- Holton earned his B.A. degree at ics is his seminal work, Thematic Ori- Wesleyan University in 1941 and gins of Scientific Thought: From Kepler his doctorate in experimental high- to Einstein (Harvard, 1973; revised pressure physics at Harvard in 1948, in 1988). The innovative concept of as a student of Percy W. Bridgman. thematic analysis he presented there During World War II, he was an has provided a new tool of thought, instructor at Wesleyan, Brown, and Harvard; he also served in wartime Pais Prize Winner Gerald Holton Continued on page 5 laboratories and taught naval officers about radar. In 1947 Holton joined the Harvard faculty, where he has remained ever since. He has also served as a Visiting Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technol- INS I DE TH I S ISSUE ogy (1976–1994), where he was a founding faculty member of its Program on Science, Technology and Society. He is Letter from the Chair 2 currently the Mallinckrodt Research Professor of Physics and Research Professor of the History of Science at Harvard University. March and April Meetings 3 While continuing his research on high-pressure physics at Harvard, Holton pioneered the introduction of physics Forum Affairs 4 history into the teaching of physics with the 1952 publica- tion of his now-classic textbook, Introduction to Concepts and Theories in Physical Science. This book was followed in Forum Elections 6 1958 by Foundations of Modern Physical Science, written with Duane H. D. Roller. The first book is still alive and well in a revised edition (with Stephen G. Brush) titled Physics, the Edmund Stoner Remembered 9 Human Adventure: From Copernicus to Einstein and Beyond (Rutgers, 2001). These texts served as the framework for the New Books of Note 10 well-known Project Physics Course, which began in 1964 as Letter from the Chair: Science is Not Simply a Matter of Faith By Bill Evenson, Forum Chair few days after Thanksgiving, producing and evaluating evidence contributed sessions at both meetings. Paul Davies, physicist and that provides firm grounds for sci- I hope you can attend one or both of A writer on science and religion, entific beliefs. Finally, science works; these meetings. published an opinion piece in the New it produces reliable knowledge with Quick Reminders: Please consider York Times entitled, “Taking Science on demonstrable effects. making a donation in honor of a sig- Faith.” His thesis was that, at its base, History of physics works to clarify nificant colleague who has passed on. “science has its own faith-based belief all these issues: the grounds for our Such donations can either support system.” Davies argues that science is scientific beliefs, the strategies that students presenting contributed history built on “an unexplained set of physi- produce reliable (even though not talks or sponsor an invited lecture at cal laws” and draws a parallel to reli- certain) knowledge, and the extent of one of the APS meetings. The donors gion’s faith in “an unexplained God.” the reliable knowledge produced by can choose who (among deceased The central issue here is that all science. The insights of historians of physicists) is to be honored, and the human knowledge is uncertain and physics have illuminated the methods, Forum Program Committee will select incomplete. Without certainty, some foundations, and products of science. the speaker. Contact me or any other would say, every enterprise is founded They have shown where the great- Forum officer if you wish to make such on faith of some kind. However, I est uncertainties remain, and how a donation. have three caveats relevant to history interesting and complex questions The Forum Executive Commit- of physics. First, not all uncertainty have been resolved. While I recognize tee is currently seeking an Associ- is created equal; there are degrees of both the power and comfort religious ate Editor for the History of Phys- certainty, depending on the strength faith brings to humanity, I reject the ics Newsletter, to be appointed in of reasonable grounds for our beliefs. parallels between religious faith and time to work with the current Edi- (Rational degrees of certainty or belief scientific beliefs in the context of uncer- tor, Michael Riordan, and take over were starting points for the probability tainty—parallels that are espoused by as Editor for the Fall issue 2009. theories of Laplace, R. T. Cox, E. T. Davies and many hopeful believers. Please contact me at [email protected] Jaynes, and others.) Second, science Both the nature and degree of the if you are interested in this possibility has widely accepted strategies for “faith” that lies at the foundation of or wish to suggest a colleague. these approaches to understanding Remember to send a short record of the world are qualitatively different the work of retiring scientists (yourself for religion and science. Anyone who or colleagues) to the Center for History takes comfort in characterizing science of Physics, as explained by Virginia as “only” a matter of faith should read The Forum on History of Physics Trimble in the February 2007 issue of physics history more deeply, and the of the American Physical Society this newsletter. Likewise, continue to perspective provided by this history publishes this Newsletter semian- send department histories to the Center should be an essential part of science nually. Nonmembers who wish for History of Physics and JDJackson@ education. to receive the Newsletter should lbl.gov. The Forum supports a strong role make a donation to the Forum of Finally, please nominate your for the history of physics in the phys- $5 per year (+ $3 additional for deserving colleagues with accomplish- ics community. It will continue to airmail). Each 3-year volume con- ments in history of physics for APS encourage physics historians, provide sists of six issues. Fellowship (more details on p. 4). a venue for discussing their work, and Editor involve practicing physicists in that Final Remarks: My greatest plea- Michael Riordan discussion. sure during my term as Forum Chair Institute of Particle Physics I wish to congratulate the Forum has been working with physicists and University of California Program Committee on plans for his- historians to put together the history Santa Cruz, CA 95064 tory programs at the March (New symposia that have come to play such [email protected] Orleans) and April (St. Louis) APS an important role at the national APS (831) 459-5687 Meetings. Chair-Elect David Cassidy meetings. Working to organize the and Vice Chair Gloria Lubkin and their large and non-standard-format session Associate Editor committees have organized these fine that commemorated the 20th anniver- Robert H. Romer programs. Elsewhere in this newslet- sary of the discovery of high-temper- Physics Department ter (on p. 3), you will find specifics of ature superconductivity at the 2007 Amherst College the excellent sessions planned for these March Meeting was both challenging Amherst, MA 01002 meetings. In addition to the invited and satisfying. [email protected] symposia organized by the Forum, we continue to have stimulating Continued on page 4 2 Volume X, no. 4 • spring 2008 • history of Physics newsletter Forum Sessions at the 2008 APS Meetings By David C. Cassidy, Chair, Program Committee he Forum Program Committee In addition to these invited ses- Chair of both sessions: Ramanath is conducting an experiment sions, Gerald Holton, winner of the Cowsik, Washington University this year. At the suggestion T 2008 Abraham Pais Prize for the His- I. Observatories and Telescopes. of Forum Chair Bill Evenson, we tory of Physics (see p. 1), will speak Joseph Miller, Lick Observatory, divided the program committee on April 14 in a joint award session UC Santa Cruz, “Lick Observatory into two subcommittees under the co-sponsored with the Forum on Phys- and the Shift of Astronomical Power overall direction of the Program ics and Society. Sessions for contrib- to California” Chair: an April committee chaired uted papers are also scheduled in by Cassidy, and a March committee both March and April meetings; travel Mario Livio, Space Telescope Science co-chaired by Vice Chair Gloria Lub- grants are available for students pre- Institute, “Hubble Space Telescope: kin and George Zimmerman.