From: jamshid@socrates.ucsf.edu (J. Naghizadeh)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.iranian,sci.physics
Subject: Re: In Memory of Professor Hesabi
Date: 30 Sep 92 17:52:28 GMT
Organization: UCSF Computer Graphics Lab

sichase@csa1.lbl.gov (SCOTT I CHASE) writes:

>In article <1992Sep28.175833.20526@u.washington.edu>, payman@u.washington.edu writes...
>> 
>> 
>>Professor Mahmoud Hesabi, father of modern physics 
>>in Iran, passed away last week.  What follows is
>>an article originally posted by me about a year
>>ago when he was selected as Man of the Year in
>>Science by the American Biographical Institute.
>> 
>>-Payman

>Are you a physicist who has worked in Iran?  I would be very interested
>in a first-hand account of what it is like to do the business of science
>in a Fundamentalist country.  Perhaps you have something to say on the 
>subject?

   I happen to be a physicist who has worked in Iran. I visited Iran
   and several physics establishments there last September. The
   notion of fundamentalism in Iran is much exaggerated by the
   westerm media. In any event, politics have had little or
   no influence in science (including physics) in Iran. In fact
   science has a higher prioriy now than before the revolution,
   because of the country's need to an independant industrial base.
   There are many qualified physicists who now teach and work in
   Iranian universities. They frequently publish in international
   journals.


>>5. Prediction of the existence of the fundamental particle
>>   "Muon" and its properties.  This was verified in 1956 in
>>   the US.

>Are you suggesting that Hasebi has a claim to have predicted the muon - 
>a second lepton?  The accepted history of the field, the way I understand
>it, gives the discovery of the muon as a complete accident.  A 100 MeV-ish
>particle was predicted by Yukawa to be the carrier of the residual strong 
>force, but that was the pion.  The muon was found, and thought to be 
>the strong force carrier - until the pion was finally found.

   I had met Dr. Hesabi once some 15 years ago. There can be no question
   that he contributed much to Iranian science. As to his contributions
   to physics, there is some exaggeration of this in Iranian press.
   I did read a scientific paper by him many years ago. This was
   published as a reprint by Teheran University Press. I can not
   recall if it had ever been published in an international journal.
   The article attempted to explain nuclear forces in terms of
   gravitational attraction between the nuclear particles. I
   understand Dr. Hesabi had met Einstein and had attempted to discuss
   this theory with him. Not being a nuclear physicist, I am not
   going to pass judgement on this theory.

   I also saw a reference to Dr. Hesabi in the book "Radio-carbon Dating"
   by H. Libbey. While visiting the University of Chicago in the late
   forties, he had collaborated in this project.

   Dr. Hesabi is honored mostly for his work as a manager and 
   administrator and founder of many scientific establishements in Iran.
   I might also add that during his tenure  as higher education minister
   in Mosadegh's cabinet, he had many disagreements with  Mosadegh.

>>"The salary of university professors is not enough for the
>>most basic needs [hoghugh-e asAtid be andAzeh bokhor namir

>No kidding.

   This sarcastic remark was uncalled for. It certainly reflects the
   mentality of the author. The salary of the university professor
   in Iran was increased some 500% within the last two years, however,
   this is not sufficient to cover the inflation which is some
   1000% since the revolution. Thus the real buying power of 
   a university professor is half that it used to be.

   --jamshid

>Regards,

>-Scott
>--------------------
>Scott I. Chase			"The question seems to be of such a character
>SICHASE@CSA2.LBL.GOV		that if I should come to life after my death
>				and some mathematician were to tell me that it
>				had been definitely settled, I think I would
>				immediately drop dead again."      - Vandiver
From: moussavi@hplred.HP.COM (Farshid Moussavi)
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 23:45:19 GMT
Subject: some REAL discussions, please
Organization: Hewlett Packard Labs, Palo Alto CA