Henry Margenau (
1901 -
February 8,
1997) was a
German-
U.S. physicist, and
philosopher of science.
Biography
Early life
Born
Bielefeld, Germany, Margenau obtained his
bachelor's degree from
Midland Lutheran College,
Nebraska before his
M.Sc. from the
University of Nebraska in 1926, and
Ph.D. from
Yale University in 1929.
World War II
Margenau worked on the theory of
microwaves and the devepment of
duplexing systems that enabled a single
radar antenna both to transmit and receive signals. He also worked on
spectral line broadening, a technique used to analyse and review the dynamics of the
atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
Philosophy and history of science
Margenau wrote extensively on science, his works including:
Ethics and Science,
The Nature of Physical Reality,
Quantum Mechanics and
Integrative Principles of Modern Thought.
Religious Interests
Margenau served on a commission of the
World Council of Churches in developing an
ecumenical position on
nuclear weapons and
atomic warfare. However, his book The
Miracle of Existence (Ox Bow Press, 1984) shows Margenau's broad interests not only in Christianity, but also in Eastern religions and his fascination with finding connections among different religious and philosophical traditions.
Post-war Yale
Margenau was appointed Eugene Higgins Professor of Physics and Natural Philosophy as Yale in 1950, a post he was to hold until his retirement from formal academic life in 1969. He also became a staff member at both the
Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton and the
MIT Radiation Laboratory. During his working career, he acted as consultant to the
U.S. Air Force, the U.S.
National Bureau of Standards,
Argonne National Laboratory,
Rand Corporation,
General Electric Co. and
Lockheed.
Margenau's work embraced investigation of intermolecular forces, spectroscopy, nuclear physics and electronics. He was also interested in parapsychology.
He was married to Liesel Noe and the couple parented two sons and a daughter. Margenau died in Hamden, Connecticut.
Honours and awards
Works
- This book and Margenau each receive a mention in a December 28, 1992 Time magazine article: Galileo And Other Faithful Scientists
- Margenau, H. (1984). The Miracle of Existence. Ox Bow Press.
- LeShan, L. and Margenau, H. (1982). Einstein's Space and Van Gogh's Sky: Physical Reality and Beyond. Macmillan.
- Margenau, H. (1978). Physics and Philosophy: Selected Essays. D. Reidel Co.
- Lindsay, R. B. and Margenau, H. (1936). Foundations of Physics. J. Wiley & Sons.
- Margenau, H. (1950). The Nature of Physical Reality. McGraw Hill.
- Margenau, H. (1961). Open Vistas: Philosophical Perspectives on Modern Science. Yale University Press.
- Margenau, H. (1964). The Scientist. TimeLife books.
- Margenau, H. (1958). Thomas and the Physics of 1958: A Confrontation. Marquette University Press.
See also
External links
- Yale obituary
- Quantonics on Henry Margenau's Rejection of the Quantum Projection Postulate
- Why I am a Christian
- ESP in the Framework of Modern Science
- from Margenau to Marshall Warren Nirenberg
- (abstract) Negotiating the Boundaries of Science and Religion: The Case of Henry Margenau, William A. Durbin, Zygon, Volume 34, Issue 1, Date: March 1999, Pages: 167-193
- (abstract) Beyond Relativism and Foundationalism: a prolegomenon to Future Research in ethics, J. W. Traphagan, Zygon, Volume 29, Issue 2, Date: June 1994, Pages: 153-172
