Aiken, Holton, Frank Argue Einstein's Present Influence

Experts disagreed last night as to the late Albert Einstein's impact on contemporary philosophy, when Henry D. Aiken, professor of Philosophy, Gerald J. Holton, associate professor of Physics, and Phillipp Frank, Einstein's biographer, met for "A Tribute to Albert Einstein: His work and Its Implications for Contemporary Thought" at Hunt Hall.

Aiken credited Einstein with significant influence only in the field of metaphysics. He insisted, moreover, that contemporary metaphysics is relatively unimportant.

"I take the opposite side," said Frank. "He was influential because his scientific views had so great an impact on the philosophic theories of others," he added.

Regarding the metaphysicians, Frank claimed that Einstein made a valuable contribution to philosophy by removing space and time from their consideration. "He went farther than others, where they were fuzzy he was clear," Frank said.

Agree on Method

All three members of the panel agreed, however, on Einstein's approach to science. Aiken called him an empyricist, which he defined as one who requires observational support for his theories.

Aiken made it clear that by empyricist he did not mean one who is interested primarily in observation. "He was certainly not a man who followed his nose," he said, "but recognized the dual importance of logic and observation."

Frank described Einstein's methodology as constructing with his mind a framework which he could relate to the sense world. He cited the following incident as proof that Einstein combined both approaches.

"'Have you heard the vogue?' Einstein asked Frank, 'people think apart from reality.' 'But remember, you started it,' Frank replied. 'Yes,' agreed Einstein, 'but it is not good to repeat a joke that has come off well too many times'."

Asked if Einstein had any advice for young men, Frank said, "I never asked him for any advice."