Henry Margenau

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

*Guggenheim Fellowship
*Fulbright Fellowship
*William Clyde DeVane Medal from the Yale chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for outstanding teaching and scholarship (1970).
*cite book | title=Vistas in Physical Reality: Papers in Honor of Henry Margenau | year=1976 | published=Plenum Press | author =Laszlo & Sellon (eds)

Works

*cite book | author=Margenau, H. | year=1992 | title=Cosmos, Bios, Theos Scientists Reflect on Science, God, and the Origins of the Universe, Life, and Homo sapiens | publisher=Open Court Publishing Company:This book and Margenau each receive a mention in a December 28, 1992 Time magazine article: [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,977352-1,00.html Galileo And Other Faithful Scientists]
*cite book | author=Margenau, H. | year=1984 | title=The Miracle of Existence | publisher= [http://www.oxbowpress.net/about/index.htm Ox Bow Press]
*cite book | author=LeShan, L. and Margenau, H. | title=Einstein's Space and Van Gogh's Sky: Physical Reality and Beyond | publisher=Macmillan | year=1982
*cite book | author=Margenau, H. | year=1978 | title=Physics and Philosophy: Selected Essays | publisher=D. Reidel Co
*cite book | author=Lindsay, R. B. and Margenau, H. | year=1936 | title=Foundations of Physics | publisher=J. Wiley & Sons
*cite book | author=Margenau, H. | year=1950 | title=The Nature of Physical Reality | publisher=McGraw Hill
*cite book | author=Margenau, H. | year=1961 | title=Open Vistas: Philosophical Perspectives on Modern Science | publisher=Yale University Press
*cite book | author=Margenau, H. | year=1964 | title=The Scientist | publisher=TimeLife books
*cite book | author=Margenau, H. | year=1958 | title=Thomas and the Physics of 1958: A Confrontation | publisher=Marquette University Press

ee also

*Life Science Library
*List of science and religion scholars

External links

* [http://www.yale.edu/opa/arc-ybc/ybc/v25.n21.obit.02.html Yale obituary]
*" [http://www.quantonics.com/Quantonics_on_Margenau_Projection_Postulate_Rejection.html Quantonics on Henry Margenau's Rejection of the Quantum Projection Postulate] "
*" [http://www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth16.html Why I am a Christian] "
*" [http://www.survivalafterdeath.org/articles/margenau/framework.htm ESP in the Framework of Modern Science] "
*PDFlink| [http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/JJ/B/B/Y/Q/_/jjbbyq.pdf Letter] |96.4 KiB from Margenau to Marshall Warren Nirenberg
*(abstract) [http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119079376/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0 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) [http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119277440/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