The greater part of German scientists chose not to recognize National Socialism, yet it was those German scientists who also chose to continue to reside in Nazi Germany, finding life in Germany suitable for their lives and their careers. German scientists continued to exist and work in Nazi Germany, either avoiding the troubling actuality of the Third Reich or simply partaking in National Socialism as a "silent" member. Scientists that continued to live in Nazi Germany are looked upon in two different ways; either as scientists that were cooperative and allied themselves with the Nazi Regime or as scientists that opposed Nazi rule. Werner Heisenberg is the perfect example of a conflicted German scientist. Nazi or anti-Nazi? Many wondered exactly what Heisenberg's stance was and though there is no definite evidence regarding the stance of Heisenberg, it is nonetheless clear that Heisenberg had a strong relationship with the Nazi Regime.
Though it was well known that Werner Heisenberg was not an anti-semite, the Nazi Regime continued to allow Heisenberg to both practice his career as a scientist and his work as the goodwill ambassador for Germany. Heisenberg was attacked often while the Nazi Regime controlled Germany, in which he was referred to as a white Jew or a Jew in spirit. Threats made it hard for Heisenberg to practice his profession, but because the Third Reich viewed Heisenberg as useful, he was allowed to continue to practice science and travel as the goodwill ambassador for Germany.
So, was Werner Heisenberg a scientist or a Nazi scientist. I'd like to believe that Heisenberg wan't a Nazi scientist and that he was simply doing what he had to do in order to survive, but Heisenberg got caught up with all of the perks that came along with being useful to the Third Reich. The advancements that Heisenberg made as a German scientist were ultimately put to play in warfare and for that reason, Heisenberg had a hand in the genocide that took place in Nazi Germany. While Werner Heisenberg did not share the ideals of the Nazi's, he conformed and collaborated with the Nazi Regime to the point where Heisenberg became a Nazi scientist.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Science in Communist Russia Under the Rule of Joseph Stalin
Following Professor Walker's lecture on scientists in the Soviet Union and how they were effected by the policies put in place by Joseph Stalin, I decided to write my second blog on scientists in Communist Russia from 1922 to 1953. Seeing that Stalin wasn't the most normal Russian male, mostly due to his ruthless-murderous side, the scientific community experienced an interesting three decades, including a plethera of requirements that allowed scientists to continue to be scientists. Nonetheless, Stalin was aware of the fact that science was necessary for rapid industrialization and progression in agricutlure and it was due to that mindset that the scientific community in the Soviet Union was ultimately able to illustrate progression.
When Stalin came into power around the year 1922, Stalin considered scientists, along with a number of other groups, to be enemies of his and of the Soviet Union as a whole, referring to members of the scientific community as "the scientist wreker". Once in power, Mr. Stalin began to remove qualified scientists that he "could not trust", placing un-qualified workers into positions of administration and academic responsibility. It immediately became blatant that Stalin did not care about individuals that were qualified, but was more concerned with placing "scientists" in charge who were of an acceptable social origin and carried the "correct" political views.
The next move that Stalin made against the scientific community was that he implemented a policy requiring that scientists focus on application rather than fundamental research. The research that scientists put forth was first and foremost negatively effected by the time tables they were forced to layout, illustrating their "thematic plans". This policy vastly effected the scientists in the Soviet Union, negatively of course, seeing that they were now forced to put forth their ideas and time tables that would illustrate exactly what they were working on and most importantly, how it would positively effect the Soviet Union. This policy made it incredibly hard for scientists to work naturally and freely. Gradually Soviet scientists lost their freedom of contact with the rest of the world (little contact due to their position as a communist nation), resulting in little movement and few possibilities for scientists in Russia.
Once Stalin implemented the policy in which scientists were forced to inform the government of their yearly plans, the relationship between Russian scientists and the government went south, ultimately leading to tension and a lack of trust between the scientists and the elite communists. Though Stalin was willing to spend great amounts of money on science, science under the rule of Stalin was a great struggle simply because Stalin and the government he controlled got in the way of scientists who wanted to modernize and establish stronger technology. Nonetheless, science was a great struggle during the three decades of Stalin's rule over the Soviet Union and the biggest factor that placed scientists at a disadvantage, making it hard for them to do their work to the fullest of their capabilities, was the fact that everyone was replaceable in the Soviet Union, especially scientists. Yet due to the strength and wills of Soviet scientists, the community as a whole was able to survive and even accomplish much during the rule of Joseph Stalin ultimately allowing scientists to positively effect the nation of the Soviet Union to the best of their abilities, though they clearly were held back by the psychotic Joseph Stalin.
When Stalin came into power around the year 1922, Stalin considered scientists, along with a number of other groups, to be enemies of his and of the Soviet Union as a whole, referring to members of the scientific community as "the scientist wreker". Once in power, Mr. Stalin began to remove qualified scientists that he "could not trust", placing un-qualified workers into positions of administration and academic responsibility. It immediately became blatant that Stalin did not care about individuals that were qualified, but was more concerned with placing "scientists" in charge who were of an acceptable social origin and carried the "correct" political views.
The next move that Stalin made against the scientific community was that he implemented a policy requiring that scientists focus on application rather than fundamental research. The research that scientists put forth was first and foremost negatively effected by the time tables they were forced to layout, illustrating their "thematic plans". This policy vastly effected the scientists in the Soviet Union, negatively of course, seeing that they were now forced to put forth their ideas and time tables that would illustrate exactly what they were working on and most importantly, how it would positively effect the Soviet Union. This policy made it incredibly hard for scientists to work naturally and freely. Gradually Soviet scientists lost their freedom of contact with the rest of the world (little contact due to their position as a communist nation), resulting in little movement and few possibilities for scientists in Russia.
Once Stalin implemented the policy in which scientists were forced to inform the government of their yearly plans, the relationship between Russian scientists and the government went south, ultimately leading to tension and a lack of trust between the scientists and the elite communists. Though Stalin was willing to spend great amounts of money on science, science under the rule of Stalin was a great struggle simply because Stalin and the government he controlled got in the way of scientists who wanted to modernize and establish stronger technology. Nonetheless, science was a great struggle during the three decades of Stalin's rule over the Soviet Union and the biggest factor that placed scientists at a disadvantage, making it hard for them to do their work to the fullest of their capabilities, was the fact that everyone was replaceable in the Soviet Union, especially scientists. Yet due to the strength and wills of Soviet scientists, the community as a whole was able to survive and even accomplish much during the rule of Joseph Stalin ultimately allowing scientists to positively effect the nation of the Soviet Union to the best of their abilities, though they clearly were held back by the psychotic Joseph Stalin.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Classical Versus Modern Physics
When I first stepped foot into Physics and Politics on September 5th, 2007, I was not sure what to expect. Yet, as we near the conclusion of week two, I've found that the information being taught by Professor Maleki and Professor Walker to be both educational and incredibly interesting. While I have a limited understanding regarding how physics can have a significant effect on politics and vice versa (most notably the atomic bomb), I look forward to gaining a stonger understanding on how physics and politics effect one another.
Following the first class in which Seyffie and Professor Walker introduced the course, Seyffie put forward his view on classical and modern Physics. I decided to write my first blog on the principles behing classical and modern Physics. Classical physics is based on the principles developed before the rise of quantun theory, including the special theory of relativity as well, while modern physics is defined as the physics since 1900, including relativity and quantum physics.
In contrast to classical physics, modern physics is to some extent a looser term which may refer to just quantum physics or to twentieth and twenty-first century physics in general in which modern physics includes quantum theory and the theory of relativity. Nonetheless the ideas put forward by classical physics helped paved the way for the ideas that were established during the era of modern physics.
Following the first class in which Seyffie and Professor Walker introduced the course, Seyffie put forward his view on classical and modern Physics. I decided to write my first blog on the principles behing classical and modern Physics. Classical physics is based on the principles developed before the rise of quantun theory, including the special theory of relativity as well, while modern physics is defined as the physics since 1900, including relativity and quantum physics.
In contrast to classical physics, modern physics is to some extent a looser term which may refer to just quantum physics or to twentieth and twenty-first century physics in general in which modern physics includes quantum theory and the theory of relativity. Nonetheless the ideas put forward by classical physics helped paved the way for the ideas that were established during the era of modern physics.
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