2 0 6 D O C U M E N T 7 3 J U L Y 1 9 2 0
Society in Halle, which I went to at Vaihinger’s and Kraus’s
invitation.[2]
The phi-
losophers there were not even clear about the theory’s experimental
bases.[3]
Fur-
thermore, Mr. Riese mentioned to me that you would surely be inclined to debate
with relativity theorists interested in philosophy. In addition, the young Dr.
Winternitz[4]
from Prague has come over here. He has a vibrant interest in the mat-
ter, given the opportunity. Finally, I think that we should seek to have epistemolog-
ical articles accepted on an equal footing in the Zeitschrift für Physik (with
particular caution and strict censorship). I have already spoken with Privy Council-
lor
Scheel[5]
concerning this point; he would also like to get in touch with you about
it after your return.
How essential all of this is emerges, for inst., from Helge
Holst’s[6]
paper, with
which you are probably already familiar. It wishes to reduce the th. of rel. to the
level of a calculation aid, and similar endeavors came to light in Halle. I took up
the opposition. Aside from the article about Holst, which I am enclosing herewith,
another more comprehensive one on Holst’s work is going to appear in the Kant
Society’s
Annalen.[7]
Even though I cannot agree with you on the issue of the world’s
finitude,[8]
you
will see, nonetheless, that I still conform in all essentials with relativity theory. I
just expressed this again in no uncertain terms in the new edition of Mach’s
Mechanics.[9]
Full clarity on all these problems will only be possible, however, if
physicists and philosophers discuss them together. Mr. von Laue, and oth., will cer-
tainly be willing as
well.[10]
Thus if you would be inclined to suggest such a meet-
ing in a few weeks (I expect to be away until the beginning of August), you would
be doing a very good deed.
With cordial greetings, yours very truly,
J. Petzoldt.
73. From German League for the League of Nations
Berlin [3/8?], 7 Unter den Linden, 8 July 1920
Esteemed Professor,
After long hesitation, we decided to bother impose on your precious time with
the following request: In close consultation with Dr. Elisabeth
Rotten,[1]
we arrived
at the conviction that there is a pressing need to lay before the German public the
plight of German science, what help has been given until now, and what can still be
done.[2]
This could best happen with an article in our newsletter, News from the