Family Matters The Uncertainty Principle The Copenhagen Interpretation Reviving German Science Physics and Philosophy Bohr was regarded as one of the most influential scientists of the twentieth century, not only for his research but also because he taught and mentored so many other scientists. His brightest pupil was Heisenberg, whom the Dane treated like a son.
Of the latter, some embraced the regime while others did so more reluctantly, viewing it as a Faustian bargain with a Nazi devil. Werner Karl Heisenberg, ca. On Sept. But his real purpose was to visit Bohr, his mentor, which he did three times.
The first meeting went well, with the two enjoying the renewal of their friendship. But during the period between the first and second meetings, when Heisenberg attended the symposium, Heisenberg made a critical misstep. Restrictions on foreign travel had become very tight. Furthermore, he may well have thought that he might be called upon by the US to help develop a nuclear bomb that would threaten his homeland.
Fermi not only had some 15 years of experience living under a dictatorship led by individuals with the same mentality as the Nazi leaders, but had by nature or acquisition developed appropriate "street smarts" that enabled him to understand exactly what was at stake. Heisenberg possessed neither the experience nor the gifts of insight that Fermi did. He was guided by a code, probably closely related to that of his patriotic family, which demanded that he go back and support his country and possibly save some of the residual scientific structure in Germany.
The result was a disaster for which he paid a great personal price. He accomplished essentially nothing except perhaps to keep a small group of scientists sufficiently engaged in practical work to remain free of army service, although late in life he devoted much time and effort to science and public policy, particularly with regard to the changing course of the German educational system in the mid s.
Events took a very different turn from that which Heisenberg anticipated in September of He emerged from the war a very chastened individual. During Heisenberg's visit to Fermi in the US shortly after the end of World War II, a graduate student remarked, "It's hard to believe that guy ever did anything important. APS News Archives. Librarians Authors Referees Media Students. Login Become a Member Contact Us. Every sentence with political implications, or every secret revealed, could not only harm Bohr but would also be reported back to Berlin and could seriously affect Heisenberg.
But what have these two giants of physics discussed in the Copenhagen park? Historians still have heated debates on this subject 75 years later, because this discussion was not recorded in writing. For many years, a letter from Heisenberg to the author Robert Jungk ten years later was considered the best source. In this letter , Heisenberg explains how he wanted to convince nuclear scientists on both warring sides to stall the development of an atomic bomb. He suggests that they should argue with technical and fincancial difficulties — and that an atomic bomb would be an impossible endeavour in the immediate future.
According to Heisenberg, Bohr had first been quiet when he talked to him, later he was aghast and left the meeting hurriedly. This play triggered another round of academic debates on the mysterious meeting in
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