Henry Margenau
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Henry Margenau (1901 - February 8, 1997) was a German-U.S. physicist, and philosopher of science.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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 (Shambhala, 1987) 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] Honours and awards
- Guggenheim Fellowship
- Fulbright Fellowship
- William Clyde DeVane Medal from the Yale chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for outstanding teaching and scholarship (1970).
- Laszlo & Sellon (eds) (1976). Vistas in Physical Reality: Papers in Honor of Henry Margenau.
[edit] Works
- Margenau, H. (1978). Physics and Philosophy: Selected Essays. D. Reidel Co..
- Lindsay, R. B. and Margenau, H. (1936). Foundations of Physics. J. Wiley & Sons..
- LeShan, L. and Margenau, H.. Einstein's Space and Van Gogh's Sky: Physical Reality and Beyond. MacMilan..
- Margenau, H. (1950). The Nature of Physical Reality. McGraw Hil..
- Margenau, H. (1961). Open Vistas: Philosophical Perspectives on Modern Science. Yale University Press..
- Margenau, H. (1958). Thomas and the Physics of 1958: A Confrontation. Marquette University Press..
