The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-07-26
Today S Science
BY DAVID DIETZ

MAN possesses free Will. This is the latest
WI opinion of science according to DR.. Arthur
Compton, professor of physics at the University Of
Chicago and world-famous authority upon coSmc
rays and the qusntum theory.
DR.. Compton bases his opinion upon one of the
newer developments of quantum theory, the So
called Heiscnberg principle of uncertainty first
enunciated by DR.. Werner HeiSenberg.
Is a machine? A few years ago Clarence
DarrOw went up and down the land debating the
question with CleTgymen and others. But the queS-
ton is much older than Clarence Darrow.
During the nineteenth century, the answer to the
question became increasingly yes The structure
of the universe according to the nineteenth century
science, was a mechaniStic one in which the law of
cause and effect ruled supreme.
But the twentieth century scientists are no longer
certain that and effect rule supreme in the
universe that one can imagine an unbroken series
of causes extending from the events of today back
to the events which took place when the solar sys-
tenn took shape.
It is possible DR. Compton says. that we live in
a world of chance IN which man has free will and
control of his own actions.
TNHF statement that natural phenomena do not
IL obey exact laws marks perhaps the most sig
nifcant revolution IN the history Of scientific
thought. Dr. Compton says.
Faith in the reliability of nature" he continues,
us the very bed rock on which the structure of
science is built Has science. with its continual
Searchings for fundamentals. finally undermined its
own foundations? Or Is IL possible that under the
new physics a more adequate picture Of the world
life again has human meaning
Hesenberg'S uncertainty principle may be briefly
stated. II is that possible experiment can tell
us where a particular electron Will be at definite
future time. The Importance Of this is not realized
until We remember that the electron is the funda-
mental particle OF matter Everything in the uni
verSe-the earth your body the cells of YOUR brain,
are made up of which in their turn are COM
posed Of eleCtTonS.
This means. according TO DR.. Compton. that the
laws Of the physics not predict an event.
nr,1v- toll he Of
The difficulty lies III attempts at making measure
menS. These attempts alter the possible results in
such way that they invalidate the eXactneSs of
the measurements
A an example. DR.. Compton cites the measure
N ment Of a bullets speed. Whatever is used to
Its speed. slows or devates the bullet by
amount that can not be exactly predicted
Even II the shadow Of the bullet is measured, DR..
Compton says. at least particle Of light must
collide with the projectile. which has infneSmal
but possibly significant effect IT,
II radio raw, or other photo Of lesser mass is
used the wave-length is so great as TO defeat the
purpose Of predicting future position exactly. The
bullets future motion not be predicted exactly
from a knowledge Of its past history, Dr. Compton
saws.
Large scale events follow laws but these laws
are according 10 the uncertainty principle only
statistical laws Of probability" The unpredict-
ability OF the actions OF individual electrons is i'm
portant because the motions Of eectron may set
of chains Of activity resulting IN large scale events.
Dr. Compton gives a Simpliied example Of how
this might work He imagines two photo-electrc
cells set up 10 intercept one beam OF light. one Of
which would set of explosion while the other
would prevent H. Under no conceivable conditions
Of control. he says would II be possible 10 predict
whether the first photon or light would strike one
cell or the other.