New Course

Fall 2008

99-305: The Year is 1905

Organization and Expectations

Tuesdays, 6:30 to 8:30 PM

Instructors: Gregg Franklin and Indira Nair

This course is designed as an exploration of Einstein’s life and work, especially the work he did in 1905, often called Annus Mirabilis, or “Miraculous Year” because of his work that changes the face of physics. It is designed to introduce you to the conceptual frameworks of physics and the history of physics along the threads of intellectual inquiry that led to the 1905 works.

Introduction to Course

Our hope: That you gain an understanding of:

--the scientific work Einstein did, particularly in 1905; the historic and scientific context, eventual implications in society; Einstein’s way of thinking, his conceptual foundations, beliefs, creativity and leaps of insight

-- Several concepts such as energy, force, field, photon, quantum, conservation-- the development in physics in the early part of the twentieth century—the birth of quantum physics, relativity. The historical progression leading up to these.

-- Frameworks of the culture and sociology of science, including ethical and other aspects – science as a process

--the process of the doing of science, how it has changed over the last century and implications of this

-- Einstein, Heisenberg, Bohr and Oppenheimer and others as scientists and as people of their time.

To this end, we have followed some precepts in preparing the readings and planned to course to —

- Provide the history and stories of how the ideas came to be

- Provide some original “voices” to show progress in thinking in the words of people who made the science happen

- Provide frameworks in the history and philosophy of science

- Return to a topic or theme at various times in the course so you build a structure for yourself that integrates the themes

- reinforce the readings and discussions through class writing and discussion and assignments that help you recapitulate a theme in a new context so the integration takes place.

Books Required

1. David Bodanis, E = mc²: A Biography of the World’s Most Famous Equation, Berkley Publishing, 2000. (E= mc²)

2. Walter Isaacson, Einstein, (Einstein), paperback editionSimon &Schuster, 2008.

3. Reading Packet (to be bought from Cathy Ribarchak, Warner Hall 6^th Floor); Will announce when ready- Cost: payable by check to Carnegie Mellon, $25.00 (copyright and copying) when you get readings from Cathy.

4. Another staple reference is the website of the American Institute of Physics, www.aip.org

In particular, see http://www.aip.org/history/einstein/