This article was published in the "Sanlian Life Weekly" No. 35, 2019, the original title of the article is "Born Einstein: Physicists in Turbulent Times", it is strictly forbidden to reprint privately, and infringement must be investigated
Chief Writer / Miao Qian
Albert M. Albert Einstein (Courtesy of Visual China)
Today, both sides of the correspondence have been dead for many years, and their names, Max Born and Albert Einstein, have long been written into the history of science, becoming the revered masters of science. Reading the correspondence between the two of them today, which began more than 100 years ago and has lasted for decades, brings us much more than touching.
The letters collected in The Born-Einstein Letters 1916-1955: Friendship, Politics and Physics in Uncertain Times were originally translated into English by Born's daughter and then translated into Chinese by Van Dynian. Although translated twice, the distinct personalities of Born and Einstein still jumped on paper. From 1916 to 1955, from the initial neighboring in Germany, to the later living in Britain and the United States, the time span of 40 years, the geographical span between Europe and the United States. Such a collection of letters can be described as all-encompassing, and in addition to physics, the mysteries described in it about the hardships of life, the cruelty of war, and the unpredictability of human nature are far beyond the comprehension of the two physicists.
Different life paths
The first in a collection of letters is a text message from Einstein to Born on February 27, 1916. The timing of the letter was crucial, and it was a few months before that Einstein had accomplished the most important work of his life: general relativity. On the one hand, the perennial work caused Einstein to suffer from a serious stomach disease, often needing to stay in bed for a few days to recuperate; on the other hand, the completed Einstein also began to gradually relax. It can be seen that after about half a year he wrote to Mrs. Bourne discussing poetry in a much more relaxed tone.
The two physicists, who were entering middle age, began to communicate frequently at this time, probably because the two began to face extremely complex life and scientific paths almost at the same time. At the time of the First World War, which had turned the lives of most Germans to pieces, the two inevitably spoke of their views of Germany and the belligerent France, as well as of scientists they had once known for their use of scientific knowledge to study the tools of murder—an experience that profoundly influenced their views on science, as can be seen in later letters. Anti-Semitic trends in Germany began to spring up, which would force two Jewish physicists to flee to England and the other to the United States, but in 1916 neither realized the gravity of the situation.
Max Born (Courtesy of Visual China)
In 1916, the lives of these two physicists began to lead different paths. The theory of general relativity, which seemed too shocking at the time, had not yet been widely accepted by the scientific community, but Einstein's reputation had inevitably grown, and he began to travel the world, and after winning the Nobel Prize in Physics a few years later, he gained a worldwide reputation, and then became a world idol and scientific hero, and even a symbol. Born's life seemed far from smooth for Einstein, and as can be seen from his letters to Einstein, he spent almost his entire life seeking a suitable position. This ideal position will not only allow him to focus on scientific research, but also provide a salary that will stabilize the family's life. Because of the effects of war, such a small demand of physicists is often difficult to meet.
The names of the two who had entered the halls of science became flesh and blood again in the epistles. Even in his letters, the humble Born could hardly hide his admiration for Einstein's close friend, and often sought Einstein's advice on many issues, but when discussing scientific issues with Einstein, he did not budge, so that the relationship between the two was once cold. The letters to Einstein appear humorous and have a wide range of interests. Literature, art, music, etc. are often mentioned in his letters to the Bornes, but whenever it comes to science, Einstein will show a strong faith. He firmly believed that quantum mechanics had its incompleteness—a subject the two had debated for decades. "God is not rolling dice" – this famous quote comes from a letter Written by Einstein to Born in 1926.
Like the familiar Einstein, the Einstein in the letters was unconcerned about honor. He once wrote sarcastically: "I will go to England in the spring to receive the medallion that was forced into me, and to take a closer look at the other side of this stupid move." ”
But there is another unknown Einstein revealed in letters to close friends. After publishing the general theory of relativity, he did not immediately enter the temple, but remained deeply immersed in the swamp of life. The birth and death of loved ones, the deteriorating health, the attitude towards Germany that committed war crimes, the attitude toward death – such a more authentic and flesh-and-blood Einstein is also revealed in the letters.
Compared to Einstein, Born was a master who was closer to the "ordinary man". His entire family was plagued by inflation because of the poor state of the German economy after World War I. Even so, he worked with Einstein to try to help talented young scientists who were worse off than they were, to help them find jobs in scientific institutions, or to simply write a letter of recommendation or invitation to a young scientist out of hunger and embarrassment.
Later generations of masters of science were accustomed to separating their personal lives and even personalities from their scientific achievements. Just as God's to God, Caesar's to Caesar—their scientific achievements belong to the lofty sacred mountain of science, and their private lives belong to the worldly vanity fair. But when reading Born's correspondence with Einstein over the decades, the reader is completely unable to make such a simple division—science is a part of life for them. In their letters, the two talk about relativity, quantum mechanics, unified field theory, and so on, just as naturally as they do about politics, money, and art. The only difference is that on scientific issues, the two often fight each other and do not give in to each other, so that it is difficult to reconcile for a lifetime, and the two often resonate with each other on other issues, and have more suggestions and encouragement for each other's lives.
Confidant and adversary in science
Compared to other aspects of life, the two naturally understand the uniqueness of scientific problems. Albert Einstein once wrote: "I envision that what applies to jokes also applies to painting and drama." I don't think they should have the flavor of a logical system, but rather the delicacy of a slice of life, flashing with all sorts of colors according to the viewer's point of view. If one is to get rid of this ambiguity, he has to use mathematics. But even then, man will only achieve his purpose after he becomes completely substanceless under a clear scalpel. Vivid things and clarity are opposites—they run counter to each other. We are now experiencing this tragically in physics. ”
The lives shown in the letters of the two physicists seem to be drifting apart, but in science, the two have always been the closest confidants and enemies. They share their own philosophies and have fundamental differences in their understanding of quantum mechanics. Out of insistence on causality, Einstein wrote: "If this were the case (there is no strict causality in the quantum world), I would rather be a shoemaker, or an employee in a casino, than a physicist." Born said that this difference in basic philosophical attitudes between the two was a heavy blow to himself and also parted ways with the younger generation of physicists.
The lives of two close friends whose ages are only 6 years apart go from prime to twilight in their letters. Even brilliant Einstein, in his later years he was gradually abandoned by the scientific community and regarded by his colleagues at the Princeton Institute for Advanced Study as an old antique. After the death of his wife, Einstein became increasingly lonely and helpless, and he could not even use his influence to apply for an invitation letter from Princeton for Born. After fleeing his homeland for many years, Born finally returned to his roots in his old age and returned to Germany. The last letter in the book's collection was written in January 1955. Less than 3 months later, Einstein died.
Not only Born and Einstein, when the names of many 20th-century science masters appear in their letters, readers can feel the real life of scientists a century ago so vividly, so directly appreciate the confusion of these most outstanding human minds in the face of life, in the face of science, and the courage and faith to go forward. The many scientists who appeared in the writings of the two masters also took on the appearance of their own outside of scientists: Born once complained that his young assistant at the time, Wolfgang Pauli, was a genius, but a little lazy. Another of his assistants, Werner Heisenberg, had worked for the Nazis, which was unacceptable to Born. In his letters, he also praised two Chinese students, Peng Hengwu and Huang Kun, in his British years.
Through decades of discussion by two physicists, readers also re-witness a hard exploration and a great failure. After the publication of general relativity, Einstein spent the following decades trying to unify the electromagnetic force and gravity to form a unified field theory, which was not completed until death (at that time, human beings did not understand the other two fundamental forces, so such attempts were doomed to failure); Born was trying to develop quantum field theory. This huge theoretical framework has encountered various difficulties in the process of development, and finally made great achievements in the 21st century. The Establishment of the Standard Model on the basis of quantum field theory has become the most basic and comprehensive theoretical framework for human beings to describe the natural world.
The most valuable and special thing about this book is that most of the letters are accompanied by Born's personal comments. After Einstein's death, in his later years, Born reviewed the correspondence between the two for many years, personally described the specific situation and state of mind of the correspondence for the reader, and even gave a detailed account of some scientific issues that the two had argued. Listening to the old man's whispers, the reader can feel that in a great era, two great scientists, they have not gone far.
The Letters of Born-Einstein (1916-1955): Friendship, Politics, and Physics in Turbulent Times
Author: Born, Einstein
Translator: Fan Dainian, Shanghai Science and Technology Education Press, 2010