Posted by Reilly Atkinson on October 15, 1999 at 16:41:42:

In Reply to: What is the Importance of Physics Knowledge? - Step 1 posted by mike cahill on October 15, 1999 at 14:30:29:

Mike -- I haven't a clue to whatever you are trying to do with your posting.

For most of us, the post-Hiroshima era was the golden age of bucks, for basic research. The number of physicists who did weapons work, was a small proportion of all physicists. The Cold War's major impact on most of us were limitations on contacts with Soviet physicists.

And, many think that the research on radar in the UK and at MIT's Radiation Lab had a much bigger impact on post war physics -- both in mathematical developments and in instrumentation.

The plain fact is that in most respects prewar and postwar physics were pretty much the same, but a lot more money was available after the war

The real bottom line factors on Oppenheimer's demise were Teller's jealousy & paranoia and Teller's dirty fighting -- most recently surfacing in the Star Wars idiocy. If we are talking political power, Teller finessed most of the political establishment for years -- he had the power to make his BS convincing, and, to my way of thinking, right minded people were simply overwhelmed by him and his minions.

Physicists don't have much political power -- the cancellation of the Texas underground accellerator, for example.

Regards
Reilly

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Follow Ups:

• Power - Step 2? mike cahill 14:08:05 10/19/99 (0)
• Re: What is the Importance of Physics Knowledge? - Step 1 Kees de Vos 09:29:15 10/19/99 (1)
  • Re: What is the Importance of Physics Knowledge? - Step 1 Reilly Atkinson 21:51:19 10/19/99 (0)

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