杏吧原创

The title Beyond Uncertainty is a multi-level pun. It is a sequel to Uncertainty, Cassidy鈥檚 1991 biography of physicist , whose uncertainty principle formed the foundation of quantum theory. Uncertainty was the basis for , the hit play about shadowy meetings between Heisenberg and during the second world war. The title also signals the hope that historians can finally unravel Heisenberg鈥檚 ambiguous role in the German nuclear bomb project.

Cassidy justifies writing this updated biography by drawing on now-declassified documents and previously private letters. Most intriguing is a cache of livid 鈥� but never mailed 鈥� letters Bohr wrote to Heisenberg in 1957. Heisenberg had just claimed publicly that he had tipped off Bohr in Copenhagen about Germany鈥檚 slow progress on nuclear weapons in order to help avert Allied attacks. Heisenberg wanted to save lives. Bohr remembered otherwise: Heisenberg did his damnedest to deliver nukes.

Overall, it seems Heisenberg was full of contradictions. He supported his Jewish colleagues, yet exploded when minor Nazi officials accused him of being a malcontent who was 鈥淛ewish in spirit鈥�. He begged for uranium research funds, then claimed he didn鈥檛 want Hitler to win 鈥� and then defended German science, bemoaning the superior resources of the US鈥檚 Manhattan project.

Cassidy鈥檚 best insight is that Heisenberg withdrew into science as a refuge amid a turbulent war. But that withdrawal undermines any hope of moving beyond the uncertainty about Heisenberg as good guy or bad guy 鈥� or both.