Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2003 00:03:35 +0800
Subject: Re: Einstein
From: Malcolm Riddoch <m.riddoch-AT-ecu.edu.au>



On Friday, September 19, 2003, at 11:06  PM, michaelP wrote:

> Forgive if I'm wrong but I thought the atom bombs exploded over 
> Hiroshima
> and Nagasaki produced enormous energy from the unchecked chain reaction
> (otherwise controlled in nuclear power reactors) of uranium nuclei 
> etc, and
> had nothing to do with the transformation of matter into energy as in 
> the
> Einsteinian equation.

Yes, that's my understanding as well. Fission doesn't so much involve a 
transformation of matter as an unleashing of nuclear forces when the 
nucleus splits apart. It's ridiculous to tar Einstein's name like this, 
his theoretical input to the Manhattan project was minimal but he 
foresaw the threat that Heisenberg's team posed if Hitler ever got his 
hands on an atom bomb, and so he lobbied accordingly. If you want to 
blame Einstein for the A bomb why not then also Bohr, Dirac, Pauli and 
all the others who contributed to quantum physics in the 20's? Or 
Hamilton from the 1820's? Let's not forget Newton who started the whole 
ball rolling in Europe...

The scientists and technicians who made the bomb didn't drop it, and 
yet apparently they were very aware of the moral implications of 
working on it. AFAIK the buck stops with Truman, and according to the 
Smithsonian the reasoning behind nuking both Japanese cities was 
largely a political and military show of force to their 'friend' 
Stalin. As usual power allows no morals.

So much for the historical marketplace, anyone up for a reading of the 
Origin of the Work of Art?

Cheers,

Malcolm Riddoch



     --- from list heidegger-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---