CULTURAL VALUES OF PBTS1C8 — DIETX 153 



How much the world needs this spirit today is evident if we turn 

 our attention to recent events in Europe. One cannot resist com- 

 paring these words of Einstein's with the words of the man who 

 drove him out of Germany. No doubt you heard his speech of hate, 

 filled with the rattle of the saber and the threat of war, that was 

 broadcast to the world during the Czechoslovak crisis. 



A decade ago, H. G. Wells pictured the world in a race between 

 education and destruction. That afternoon, as those words of hate 

 boomed forth from radios everywhere, it seemed as though destruc- 

 tion was about to win. 



The dictators of Europe have made no secret of their contempt for 

 democracy and for the freedom of thought and expression which is 

 not only the life of democracy but the life of all science as well. 



But will destruction win in the end ? I am one who does not think 

 so. I am certain that it will not so long as America remains faithful 

 to its belief in democracy.^ Therein lies the importance of our edu- 

 cational system for what we teach the young men and women in the 

 schools today will determine the conviction of the citizens of 

 tomorrow. 



VII 



I have urged in this address that we shape our educational system 

 so that physics be given the position once occupied by the classics as 

 the common cultural bond that united all educated men. In conclusion 

 let me list the 10 cultural values which I have discussed and which, in 

 my opinion, justify this place of honor for the science of physics: 

 (1) Physics is the foundation of the present age and a knowledge of 

 physics is necessary for its complete understanding. (2) Physics 

 seems to be the foundation of every science and all of them can be bet- 

 ter understood with an understanding of the principles of physics. 

 (3) The greatest advances of the future will probably be based upon 

 the new discoveries of physics. (4) Our understanding of the cosmos 

 and the picture of the universe given by modern cosmology is founded 

 upon the science of physics. (5) Physics teaches the importance of 

 natural law. (6) Physics teaches precision in observation, experi- 

 mentation, and deduction. (7) The spirit of physics is the search for 

 the truth. (8) The spirit of physics is the spirit of courage. (9) The 

 spirit of physics is the spirit of tolerance. And finally, (10) the spirit 

 of physics is the spirit of humanity. 



I call upon you to have courage and to labor with faith for the future 

 of civilization, for the dawn of that day when the spirit of physics, 

 the spirit of all science, will triumph over the forces of blind hatred, 

 of cruel violence, of bigotry and intolerance. God grant that the dawn 

 may be soon. 



iMany events have occurred la Europe Bince the presentation of thin paper In October 

 1038. Brat I see no reason to change my view on this point 



