Experiment, Theory, Practice: Articles and Addresses (Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science, 46)

In tbis splendid collection of the articles and addresses of P. L. Kapitza, the author remarks on the insight of the 18th century Ukrainian philosopher Skovoroda who wrote: "We must be grateful to God that He created the world in such a way that everytbing simple is true, and everything compli­ cated is untrue. " At another place, Kapitza meditates on the roles played by instinct, imagination, audacity, experiment, and hard work in the develop­ ment of science, and for a moment seems to despair at understanding the dogged arguments of great scientists: "Einstein loved to refer to God when there was no more sensible argument!" With Academician Kapitza, there are reasoned arguments, plausible alter­ natives, humor and humane discipline, energy and patience, a skill for the practical, and transcendent clarity about what is at issue in theoretical practice as in engineering necessities. Kapitza has been physicist, engineer, research manager, teacher, humanist, and tbis book demonstrates that he is a wise interpreter of historical, philosophical, and social realities. He is also, in C. P. Snow's words, strong, brave, and good (Variety of Men, N. Y. 1966, p. 19). In this preface, we shall point to themes from Kapitza's interpretations of science and life. On scientific work. Good work is never done with someone else's hands. The separation of theory from experience, from experimental work, and from practice, above all harms theory itself. Front Matter....Pages i-xxvi Front Matter....Pages 1-1 The Production of and Experiments in Strong Magnetic Fields....Pages 3-7 A New Method for the Liquefaction of Helium....Pages 8-11 Problems of Liquid Helium....Pages 12-34 Oxygen....Pages 35-46 On the Nature of Ball Lightning....Pages 47-52 High Power Electronics....Pages 53-59 On some Stages of Research in the Field of Magnetism....Pages 60-74 Energy and Physics....Pages 75-85 Plasma and the Controlled Thermonuclear Reaction....Pages 86-100 Front Matter....Pages 101-101 The Construction and Early Work of the Institute for Physical Problems....Pages 103-114 The Organization of Research at the Institute for Physical Problems....Pages 115-132 Front Matter....Pages 133-133 The Unity of Science and Technology....Pages 135-139 Planning in Science....Pages 140-143 On Leadership in Science....Pages 144-151 Complex Scientific Problems....Pages 152-154 Experiment, Theory, Practice....Pages 155-160 Effectiveness of Scientific Work....Pages 161-164 Applying the Achievements of Science and Engineering....Pages 165-172 The Centenary of the Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics and the Role of Journals in the Development of Science....Pages 173-182 Basic Factors in the Organization of Science and How they are Handled in the U.S.S.R.....Pages 183-194 Front Matter....Pages 195-195 Physical Experimentation at School....Pages 197-197 Problems in Physics....Pages 198-203 Some Principles of the Creative Upbringing and Education of Today’s Youth....Pages 204-214 Professor and Student....Pages 215-219 Remarks on the Anniversary of the Physico-Technical Institute....Pages 220-223 For the Good of the People....Pages 224-225 Front Matter....Pages 227-227 In Memory of Ernest Rutherford....Pages 229-230 The Scientific Work of Rutherford....Pages 231-243 History of a Rutherford Portrait, 1933–1934....Pages 244-250 Recollections of Lord Rutherford....Pages 251-270 The Role of an Outstanding Scientist in the Development of Science....Pages 271-276 Front Matter....Pages 277-277 Lomonosov and World Science....Pages 279-299 The Scientific Activity of Benjamin Franklin....Pages 300-314 The Physicist and Public Figure Paul Langevin....Pages 315-322 In Memory of Ivan Petrovich Pavlov....Pages 323-324 Alexandre Alexandrovich Friedmann....Pages 325-326 Lev Davydovitch Landau....Pages 327-333 Front Matter....Pages 335-335 How is Atomic War to be Prevented?....Pages 337-341 Philosophy and Ideological Struggle....Pages 342-344 The Future of Science....Pages 345-364 Front Matter....Pages 335-335 Global Scientific Problems of the Immediate Future....Pages 365-371 Global Problems and Energy....Pages 372-386 Scientific and Social Approaches for the Solution of Global Problems the Bernal Lecture, 1976....Pages 387-402 The Impact of Modern Scientific Ideas on Society....Pages 403-417 Back Matter....Pages 419-433 In tbis splendid collection of the articles and addresses of P.L. Kapitza, the author remarks on the insight of the 18th century Ukrainian philosopher Skovoroda who wrote: "We must be grateful to God that He created the world in such a way that everytbing simple is true, and everything compliƯ cated is untrue." At another place, Kapitza meditates on the roles played by instinct, imagination, audacity, experiment, and hard work in the developƯ ment of science, and for a moment seems to despair at understanding the dogged arguments of great scientists: "Einstein loved to refer to God when there was no more sensible argument!" With Academician Kapitza, there are reasoned arguments, plausible alterƯ natives, humor and humane discipline, energy and patience, a skill for the practical, and transcendent clarity about what is at issue in theoretical practice as in engineering necessities. Kapitza has been physicist, engineer, research manager, teacher, humanist, and tbis book demonstrates that he is a wise interpreter of historical, philosophical, and social realities. He is also, in C.P. Snow's words, strong, brave, and good (Variety of Men, N.Y. 1966, p. 19). In this preface, we shall point to themes from Kapitza's interpretations of science and life. On scientific work. Good work is never done with someone else's hands. The separation of theory from experience, from experimental work, and from practice, above all harms theory itself P. L. Kapitza. Translation Based On The 2d Ed. Of Author's Ėksperiment, Teorii︠a︡, Praktika, Published In 1977. Includes Index. Bibliography: P. 419-424.