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Publié par
Date de parution
08 septembre 2022
Nombre de lectures
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EAN13
9782759827831
Langue
English
Poids de l'ouvrage
13 Mo
PAUL LANGEVIN (1872-1946) was a renowned French physicist, humanist, and educationalist.This biography by his son André, originally published in French in 1972 and here translated into English for the first time, is enhanced by numerous quotations from his friends, scientific and political colleagues, family and by Paul Langevin himself. Close to the Curies, Einstein, and Rutherford, this is a vivid account of a life lived at the core of physics turned upside down by the discovery of radioactivity and X-rays, by the theory of quanta, by relativity and by wave mechanics. Langevin himself was the originator of ultrasonics, a profound theorist of magnetism and of statistical mechanics and an evangelist for relativity. His utter commitment to rational science was equally applied to social justice. His life was deeply affected by both world wars and the political turmoil between them, during which he publicly opposed fascism and supported communist principles. In this personal, intimate account of his life, we find a generous, courageous, loving, brilliant human being. There is much in his understanding of humanity and the resolution of conflicts that remains relevant today.
Voir
Preface to the English edition . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Paul Langevin’s origins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
From Cambridge to the Collège de France . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . 37
War in 1914 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Between the two world wars: scholar and activist . . .. . . . . . . . . . 75
Anti-fascist leader: educationalist: philosopher . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Paul Langevin, symbol of the resistance . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 139
After the liberation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Testimonials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Publié par
Date de parution
08 septembre 2022
Nombre de lectures
2
EAN13
9782759827831
Langue
English
Poids de l'ouvrage
13 Mo
T D J F O D F T
André LANGEVIN English edition by Francis Duck
I J T U P S Z
PAUL LANGEVIN, MY FATHER THE MAN & HIS WORK
PAUL LANGEVIN, MY FATHER THE MAN & HIS WORK
AUL LANGEVIN (1872-1946) was a renowned P French physicist, humanist, and educationalist. This biography by his son André, originally published in French in 1972 and here translated into English for the ¿UVW WLPH LV HQKDQFHG E\ QXPHURXV TXRWDWLRQV IURP KLV IULHQGV VFLHQWL¿F DQG SROLWLFDO FROOHDJXHV IDPLO\ DQG E\ Paul Langevin himself.
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The author,André LANGEVIN(1901-1977), was the second son of Paul Langevin and his wife Jeanne Desfosses. He was a student of physics at theÉcole Supérieure de PhysiqueetChimie Industriellewhere he became head of works in applied electricity in 1938. He was married to Luce Dubus, physicist, and communist activist, who assisted in writing this biography. He published on piezoelectricity and petrography, completing his doctorate in 1942. During the post-war period he was active in the National 8QLRQ RI 6FLHQWL¿F 5HVHDUFKHUV DQG WKH 1DWLRQDO (GXFDWLRQ Federation. This biography of his father was written after his retirement in 1965.
ISBN : 978-2-7598-2782-4
www.edpsciences.org
Francis DUCKis a retired medical physicist. During his career developing many aspects of the medical uses of ultrasound, he worked at University College Hospital, London, Memorial University of Newfoundland, the Mayo Clinic, Minnesota, the Institute of Cancer Research UK, and ¿QDOO\ LQ %DWK 8. He has published widely. His 1990Physical Properties of Tissueremains a key sourcebook. Since retirement he has followed his interest in the history of medical physics. His historical review,Physicists and Physicians,was published in 2013 and his joint biography of the early radiological sisters Edith and Florence Stoney, was published in 2019. The 150th anniversary of Langevin’s birth in 2022 has brought him back to his roots in ultrasonics.
André Langevin
Paul Langevin, my father
The man and his work
English edition by Francis Duck
Translation and adaptation by Francis Duck of the book « Paul Langevin, mon père : l’homme et l’œuvre » by André Lanvevin, with permission, © Les Éditeurs français réunis, 1971.
Pîntéd în eûopé
© 2022, EDP Sciences, 17 avénûé dû Hoa, BP 112, 91944 Lés ulîs Cédéx A
Thîs wok îs sûbjéct to copyîht. All îhts aé ésévéd, whéthé thé wholé o pat of thé matéîal îs concénéd, spécîfîcally thé îhts of tanslatîon, épîntîn, é-ûsé of îllûstatîons, écîtatîon, boad-castîn, épodûctîon on mîcofîlms o în othé ways, and stoaé în data bank. Dûplîcatîon of thîs pûblîcatîon o pats thééof îs only pémîttéd ûndé thé povîsîons of thé Fénch Copyîht law of Mach 11, 1957. Vîolatîons fall ûndé thé posécû-tîon act of thé Fénch Copyîht law.
iSBN (pînt): 978-2-7598-2782-4 – iSBN (ébook): 978-2-7598-2783-1
Table of Contents
Preface to the English edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Paul Langevin’s origins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 From Cambridge to theCollège de France37. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . War in 1914 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Between the two world wars: scholar and activist. . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Anti-fascist leader: educationalist: philosopher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Paul Langevin, symbol of the resistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 After the liberation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Testimonials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 Appendix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Preface to the English edition
Paûl Lanévîn was a Fénch physîcîst, édûcatîonalîst and polîtîcal actîvîst. Hé îs sûffîcîéntly honoûéd în Fancé to havé béén laîd to ést în thé cypt of thé Panthéon în Paîs. Héé, hîs émaîns lîé alonsîdé hîs fîénd Jéan Péîn and, moé écéntly, hîs fîénds Pîéé and Maîé Cûîé. Thésé féw havé béén accodéd thîs hîhést honoû, toéthé wîth only a handfûl of othé Fénch physîcîsts and mathématîcîans: Joséph-Loûîs Laané, Paûl Paînlév, Lazaé Canot, Nîcolas dé Concodét and gaspad Moné. Natîonal pîdé în hîs mémoy was sûstaînéd în Fancé afté hîs déath în 1946. Théé aé nûméoûs oads, schools and înstîtûtés that cay hîs namé. By thé cénténay of hîs bîth, célébatéd în 1972, two fûll bîoaphîés had béén pûblîshéd în Fénch and two în rûssîan, toéthé wîth a fûll colléctîon of hîs wok and sévéal compîlatîons of comméntaîés on hîs lîfé. Howévé, by thén, în thé enlîsh-spéakîn wold, thé mémoy of Lanévîn’s namé was only étaînéd by a féw scîéntîsts assocîatéd wîth hîs patîcûla scîéntîfîc contîbûtîons: to thé théoy of manétîsm, statîstîcal méchanîcs, ûltasonîc détéctîon o îon tanspot. No bîoaphy în enlîsh has, to thîs daté, évé béén pépaéd. th Thîs yéa maks thé 150 annîvésay of Paûl Lanévîn’s bîth, on 23 Janûay 1872, în thé Montmaté dîstîct of Paîs. Thé pûposé of thé pésént tanslatîon îs to maké éasîly avaîlablé în enlîsh thé pésonal accoûnt of Paûl Lanévîn’s lîfé that was pépaéd by hîs son And 50 yéas ao. Thîs book was wîttén în collaboatîon wîth hîs wîfé Lûcé Dûbûs, and was fîst pûblîshéd asPaul Langevin, mon père : l’homme et l’œuvreîn 1971 byLes Éditeurs français réunis, 21, ûé dé rîchélîéû, Paîs 1. Thé pûblîshé closéd în 1994. Thé aûtho, And Lanévîn (1901–1977) was thé sécond son of Paûl Lanévîn and hîs wîfé Jéanné Désfossés. Hé was a stûdént at théÉcole supérieure 1 de physique et chimie industrielle(eSPCi) în Paîs , whéé hé bécamé héad of woks în applîéd éléctîcîty în 1938. Hé pûblîshéd on pîézoéléctîcîty and péto-aphy. Hé complétéd hîs doctoaté în 1942, awadéd by thé Facûlty of Scîéncés în Paîs. Dûîn thé post-wa péîod, hé was actîvé în thé Natîonal unîon of
1 And Lanévîn dîd not ûsé any abbévîatîons în hîs téxt, ûsûally éféîn to théÉcoleas thé ‘School of Physîcs and Chémîsty’. in thîs tanslatîon, i havé ûséd thé abbévîatîon ûséd now, eSPCi.
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Paûl Lanévîn, my fathé
Scîéntîfîc réséachés and thé Natîonal edûcatîon Fédéatîon. Hîs bîoaphy of hîs fathé was wîttén afté hîs étîémént în 1965. Dûîn thé întévénîn 50 yéas sîncé thîs book was pûblîshéd, théé havé béén înféqûént addîtîons to thé lîtéatûé aboût Paûl Lanévîn’s lîfé and scîéntîfîc contîbûtîons. Most notably, thé oûtstandîn bîoaphy by Bénadétté Bénsaûdé-Vîncént, pûblîshéd în 1987, émaîns thé most com-2 plété and désévés îts own tanslatîon . Thé pûblîshéd pocéédîns of a 3 méétîn héld at eSPCi on 12–13 Jûné 1997 , 50 yéas afté Lanévîn’s déath, compîséd 15 contîbûtîons covéîn all aspécts of Lanévîn’s lîfé. 4 Thésé înclûdé hîs céntal olé în thé Solvay Physîcs Conéssés and hîs contînûîn dévélopmént of ûltasonîcs fo cîvîl ûndéwaté détéctîon dûîn 5 6 thé 1920s . Lanévîn’s contîbûtîons to élatîvîty havé also béén évîéwéd . Névéthéléss, sîncé thésé soûcés aé în Fénch, accéss fo enlîsh-spéakîn stûdénts émaîns a challéné. elséwhéé, théé havé béén occasîonal évîéws 7 în enlîsh. Shaûl Kazî’s accoûnt of thé éaly dévélopmént of ûltasonîcs fînally claîfîéd Walté Cady’s assétîon that Lanévîn îs ‘thé oîînato of 8 9 thé scîéncé and at of ûltasonîcs’ . Othé shot évîéws of Lanévîn’s lîfé 10 and hîs wok în ûltasonîcs havé also appéaéd în enlîsh. Fdîc Jolîot-Cûîé’s bîoaphîcal obîtûay fo thé royal Socîéty, fîst pûblîshéd în Fénch 11 în 1950, has appéaéd în tanslatîon . undoûbtédly, mûch stîll îs to bé léanéd fom and ûndéstood aboût thîs éxtaodînay man. Somé yéas ao, a sûbstantîal achîvé of Lanévîn’s
2 Bénsaûdé-Vîncént B.Langevin science et vigilance : un savant, une époque. Paîs, Bélîn. 1987. 3Epistémologiques, vol. 2 (2002) Paûl Lanévîn, son œûvé, sa pénsé, Scîéncé ét énaémént. 4 Bénsaûdé-Vîncént B. 5 Lélon B. Paûl Lanévîn ét la dtéctîon soûs-maîné, 1914–1929. un physîcîén actéû dé l’înnovatîon îndûstîéllé ét mîlîtaîé.Épistémologiques. 2002;2:205–232. 6 Paty M. Paûl Lanévîn (1872–1946), la élatîvît ét lés qûanta.Bull Soc Française Phys1999;119:5–20. 7 Katzî S. Who knéw pîézoéléctîcîty? rûthéfod and Lanévîn on sûbma-îné détéctîon and thé învéntîon of sona.Notes and Records of the Royal Society, 2012;66(2):141–157. 8 Cady WC.Piezoelectricity. Néw Yok. Mcgaw-Hîll. 1946. p. 5. 9 Bok J, Koûnélîs C. Paûl Lanévîn (1972–1946) Fom Montmaté to thé Panthéon.Eur Phys News2007;38:19–21. dx.doî.o/10.1051/épn:2007001. 10 Léwîné J. Lanévîn and thé bîth of ûltasonîcs.Jpn J Appl Phys 1991;30: Sûppl 30-1. 5–11. 11 Dûck FA, Thomas AMK. Paûl Lanévîn (1872–1946): Thé fathé of ûltasonîcs. Med Phys Int J. 2022;10:84–91. http://www.mpîjoûnal.o/pdf/2022-01/MPi-2022-01-p084.pdf
Péfacé to thé enlîsh édîtîon
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12 papés was déposîtéd wîth eSPCi whéé a séléctéd lîst élatéd to Lanévîn’s 13 lîfé and wok can bé foûnd . An éxténsîvé achîvé of Lanévîn’s papés 14 îs now avaîlablé on-lîné . Thésé ésoûcés wîll ûndoûbtédly bé of ûsé fo séîoûs éséachés who wîsh to éxploé moé of Paûl Lanévîn’s lîfé. it was a coûp fo thé Fénch Commûnîst paty whén Lanévîn took oût mémbéshîp în 1945. Afté hîs déath a yéa laté, thîs assocîatîon wîth thé commûnîst caûsé was a sînîfîcant facto în thé célébatîons of hîs lîfé and wok, éspécîally thé focûs on édûcatîon that consûméd thé last months of hîs lîfé. Bût, by thé tîmé that thîs book was pûblîshéd în 1971, thé wold was a véy dîfféént placé. A capîtalîst/commûnîst dîchotomy had éplacéd thé fascîst/commûnîst dîchotomy that had ûndépînnéd Lanévîn’s polîtîcal actîvîsm. Thé uSA was fîhtîn în Vîétnam. it was thé héîht of thé Cold Wa. Thé théat of nûcléa annîhîlatîon was éal. Thé uK had joînéd eûopé. Thîs îs thé backdop aaînst whîch thé aûtho’s naatîvé aboût Lanévîn’s polîtîcs may bé jûdéd. Thé stoy told în thîs book méés thé théé maîn aspécts that wéé éqûally împotant în Lanévîn’s lîfé: hîs famîly, hîs scîéncé and hîs polîtîcs. Hîs son was pat of all théé. Mûch of thé stoy îs told thoûh qûotatîons, fom lét-tés, pûblîcatîons and accoûnts of spééchés. Héé wé fînd thé wods of Maîé Cûîé, of Pété Kapîtza, of Albét eînstéîn, of J.D. Bénal, of J.J. Thomson and of enést rûthéfod. elséwhéé wé fînd Lanévîn’s wods of éétîn to hîs own famîly, wîth thé lîttlé tîvîal bût întîmaté mattés that wéé împo-tant at thé tîmé. Thé téxt contaîns, în Lanévîn’s own wods, hîs bold cléa phîlosophy pomotîn scîéncé and jûstîcé. Hîs many fîénds, whosé namés aé béînnîn to fadé fom thé écod, aé lîstéd at lénth. Thoûhoût hîs lîfé, Lanévîn soûht to mové béyond conflîctîn théoîés and conflîctîn posîtîons, both în hîs scîéncé and în hîs pésonal affaîs. Hé was énéoûs and dîsîntééstéd în pésonal wéalth yét écéîvéd consîdé-ablé încomé fom hîs ûltasonîc paténts. Hé was pomîscûoûsly afféctîonaté and was lovéd în étûn, balancîn conflîctîn élatîonshîps and émaînîn pémanéntly commîttéd to éach who camé closé to hîm. Hîs polîtîcal éné-mîés opposéd hîs socîalîst vîéws yét éspéctéd hîm. Hé was a pacîfîst who opposéd appéasémént wîth Hîtlé’s fascîsm. Hé was known as a théoétîcal physîcîst bût was also a consûmmaté éxpéîméntalîst. Hé léd hîs colléaûés thoûh thé tanlé of twéntîéth-céntûy physîcs, qûanta, élatîvîty and ûncétaînty, séékîn ûndéstandîn wîth thém fom a détaîléd dîscûssîon of séémînly încompatîblé vésîons of éalîty. Hîs scîéntîfîc colléaûés évééd
12 Bénsaûdé-Vîncént B, Blondél C, Monnéîé M. Lés achîvés dé Paûl Lanévîn à l’colé sûpîéûé dé physîqûé ét dé chîmîé îndûstîéllés.La gazette des archives145 1989 150–153. 13 ht t p s : / / w w w . é s p c î . p s l . é û / f / é s p c î - p a î s - p s l / b î b l î o t h é q û é / c é nt é - d é -éssoûcés-hîstoîqûés/bîblîoaphîé 14 https://bîbnûm.éxploé.psl.éû/s/psl/îtém-sét/249135
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Paûl Lanévîn, my fathé
hîm, ûnsûccéssfûlly nomînatîn hîm fo a Nobél Pîzé fo Physîcs on fîf-téén occasîons. Hé hîmsélf sûccéssfûlly madé oné nomînatîon, fo hîs fîénd Albét eînstéîn. Thé book holds tîny caméos of îllûmînatîon: thé îmaé of Lanévîn calcû-latîn wîth bûnt matchés on toîlét papé în hîs géstapo céll: thé noté that Lanévîn hélpéd wîth mîlîtay adîoaphy dûîn WWi: thé boy Lanévîn, ûnnîn féély wîth thé stéét ûchîns of Montmaté: thé éxpéîméntal scî-éntîst, clîmbîn to thé top of eîffél Towé to éxploé îon tanspot în ûnpol-lûtéd aî. in sûch détaîls, wé fînd hîs tûé compléx pésonalîty. Abové all, ît îs thé hûmanîty of Paûl Lanévîn that flows oût fom thîs accoûnt of hîs lîfé. Cétaînly, hé was oné of thé most taléntéd physîcîsts of thé éaly twéntîéth céntûy. Hîs ûnîqûé contîbûtîons to thé ûndéstandîn of élatîvîty, of manétîsm, of îon tanspot, of statîstîcal méchanîcs, of ûltasoûnd and of néûton dynamîcs éméé as natûal actîons în hîs stoy, as thoûh anyoné coûld havé achîévéd what hé dîd. And hé bélîévéd that to bé tûé. Fo Paûl Lanévîn, thé stûdy of scîéncé was an întéal pat of béîn hûman, dawîn on thé sénsés and thé întélléct, an actîvîty that éconîzéd no boûndaîés sét by acé o natîon, to bé shaéd féély fo thé împovémént of thé wold. Attémpts to monopolîzé thé oûtcomés of scîéntîfîc dîscovéy, whéthé by natîon statés o by laé capîtal énté-pîsés, wéé anathéma to hîm. Hé déw hîs înspîatîon fom Pîéé Cûîé and wént on to înspîé a énéatîon of physîcîsts în Fancé and béyond îts bodés, whosé déép lové and éspéct fo thé man théy calléd ‘Boss’ shînés fom thésé paés. Hé was a bîllîant téaché, dévotéd to thé pîn-cîplé of édûcatîon fo all, îéspéctîvé of wéalth o éndé, to allow all to contîbûté to thé atîonal dévélopmént of thé hûman acé. Bût hé félt a déépé commîtmént to all mén, and hîs énaémént aaînst înjûstîcé and fo féédom placéd hîm în thé dané that îs stîll éxpéîéncéd by somé scîéntîsts today who pûblîcly challéné ovénménts. Hîs natûal antîp-athy to wa as a méans to ésolvé conflîct was sét asîdé în thé facé of thé théat of fascîsm. Lanévîn’s lîfé stoy can stîll téach ûs éat déal aboût what ît îs to bé hûman at thé hîhést lévél, to étaîn hûmanîty în thé ûsés of scîéncé, to fîht aaînst înéqûalîty, and to bélîévé în thé fûndaméntal tûth that atîonal thoûht émaîns thé bést défénsé aaînst falséhood and éxploîtatîon. i woûld lîké to éxpéss my sîncéé thanks to thosé mémbés of thé Lanévîn famîly who havé kîndly aééd to thîs épûblîcatîon of And Lanévîn’s book în enlîsh. in patîcûla, i acknowlédé atéfûlly thé énthûsîasm and ûîdancé of Paûl Lanévîn’s andson, Paûl-Éîc Lanévîn, wîthoût whom thîs tanslatîon may not havé sûccéédéd and Yvés Lanévîn, And Lanévîn’s andson, fo hîs sûppot and comménts. i woûld also lîké to écod my pésonal thanks to Bénadétté Bénsaûdé-Vîncént fo hé kînd ûîdancé as i statéd to léan moé aboût Paûl Lanévîn, Cathéîné Koûnélîs, Chéf dé Sévîcé of théBibliothèque et Centre de ressources historiques at
