TIME

History books are generally accounts of political upheavals followed by periods of consolidation. These will surely record the 20th century as perhaps the bloodiest in human history, particularly when measured by the sheer numbers of dead and maimed as a result of war and tyranny. The passage of time will gradually obliterate these wounds, and the political upheavals resulting from them have proved astonishingly ephemeral. But this millennium will not witness the conclusion of the political constructions now evolving.

The ultimate test of the impact of an individual or a group of individuals is twofold: whether the world they left

HUG-19-1999 15:34

KHI DC

212 133 1248

is qualitatively different from that which they inherited, and
what contribution they made to that change. By this standard,
the seminal event of the 20th century is the scientific
revolution. Einstein's theory of relativity and Heisenberg's
quantum mechanics toppled the existing view of the universe
and opened the way to discoveries that eclipse all previous
scientific achievements of recorded history. Not every
scientific breakthrough has proved unambiguously benign--
unleashing the atom, for example--but all have expanded the
human horizon into spheres previous generations could not even
imagine and have already changed day-to-day life to an extent
for which there is no comparison in history.

In the process, the growing ability to master the
universe has opened a new window into the human soul. Science
and metaphysics, the secular and the sacred, have begun to
merge. As science comes face-to-face with infinity--as it is

HUG-15-1999 15:34

KH1 DC

212 155 1240 P.03

CYJ

forced to do by Einstein's theories--it deals with a phenomenon it can barely describe and has yet proved unable to explain. The Einsteinian revolution has produced a paradox: while vastly extending mankind's reach, it has also exposed the essentially finite nature of the human scale. Living as we do on a speck in a universe whose extent is beyond our capacity to fathom, the unprecedented growth of human power has correspondingly created an imperative for humility. It is no accident that, at the end of a life of incomparable scientific achievement, Einstein said: "I cannot believe that God is playing dice with the universe."

TOTAL P.03

SEP - 7-99 TUE 16:49 TIME MAGAZINE

P.01

TIME
MAGAZINE

Letters Dept.
Time & Life Building
Rockefeller Center
New York, New York 10020
Tel (212) 522-4377
Fax (212) 467-0396

Via facsimile

Sept. 7, 1999

Suzanne McFarlane
Kissinger Associates
New York City

Dear Ms. McFarlane

Below is an edited version of Dr. Kissinger's piece nominating Albert Einstein as TIME's Person of the Century. We are planning to include it in our Sept. 27 issue, closing this Thursday, Sept. 9. My deadline is noon that day.

The version of the piece I have appended below has been shortened due to space constraints. Also the reference to Heisenberg's quantum mechanics has been altered, deleting Heisenberg's name--it seemed to detract from the naming of Einstein as the century's greatest physicist. The quotation at the end has also been modified slightly. Einstein first wrote it in 1926 in a letter to Max Born, and it was associated with Einstein throughout his life--not just at the end of it.

Could you please let me know Dr. Kissinger's reaction to the suggested addition as soon as you can?

E-Mail: betty_satterwhite@timemagazine.com

Albert Einstein.

The ultimate test of the impact of an individual or a group of individuals is twofold: whether the world they left is qualitatively different from that which they inherited, and what contribution they made to that change. By this standard the seminal event of the 20th century is the scientific revolution. Einstein's theories of relativity, followed by discoveries by other

SEP- 7-99 TUE 16:50 TIME MAGAZINE

P.02

scientists in the field of quantum mechanics, toppled the existing view of the
universe and opened the way to discoveries that eclipse all previous scientific
achievements.

Not every scientific breakthrough has proved unambiguously benign--
unleashing the atom, for example--but all have expanded the human horizon
into spheres prior generations could not even imagine. In the process, the
growing ability to master the universe has opened a new window into the
human soul. Science and metaphysics, the secular and the sacred, have begun
to merge. As science comes fact-to-fact with infinity--as it is forced to do by
Einstein's theories--it deals with a phenomenon it can barely describe and has
yet proved unable to explain.

The Einsteinian revolution has produced a paradox: while vastly
extending mankind's reach, it has also exposed the essentially finite nature of
the human scale. Living as we do on a speck in a universe whose extent is
beyond our capacity to fathom, the unprecedented growth of human power
has correspondingly created an imperative for humility. It is no accident that,
during a life of incomparable scientific achievement, Einstein often said:
"God does not play dice with the universe."

- Henry A. Kissinger

AUG-15-1999 10:54

KAT DC

212 133 7248 7.01

8/19/99-#4

TIME

TOTAL P.03

AUG-19-1999 15:13

KAI DC

212 753 7248

8/19/99-#3

TIME

History books are generally accounts of political upheavals followed by periods of consolidation. These will surely record the 20th century as perhaps the bloodiest in human history, particularly when measured by the sheer numbers of dead and maimed as a result of war and tyranny. The passage of time will gradually obliterate these wounds [for?]

the political upheavals [resulting] from them have proved astonishingly ephemeral. And [this century will not witness]

the outline of the political constructions [being] completed.

But the ultimate test of the impact of an individual or a group of individuals is twofold: whether the world they left is qualitatively different from that which they inherited, and

AUG-19-1999 15:13

KAI DC

212 753 7248 P.02

what contribution they made to that change. By this standard,
the seminal event of the 20th century is the scientific
revolution. Einstein's theory of relativity and Heisenberg's
quantum mechanics toppled the existing view of the universe
and opened the way to discoveries that eclipse all previous
scientific achievements of recorded history. Not every
scientific breakthrough has proved unambiguously benign--
unleashing the atom, for example--but all have expanded the
human horizon into spheres previous generations could not even
imagine and have already changed day-to-day life [to an
extent] for which there is no comparison in history.

But, in the process, the growing ability to master the
universe has opened a new window into the human soul. Science
and metaphysics, the secular and the sacred, have begun to
merge. As science comes face-to-face with infinity--as it is
forced to do by Einstein's theories--it deals with a

AUG-19-1999 15:14

KAI DC

212 753 7248 P.03

phenomenon it can barely describe and has yet ~~[to be] able~~ to
explain. The Einsteinian revolution has produced a paradox:
while vastly extending mankind's reach, it has also exposed
the essentially finite nature of the human scale. Living as
we do on a speck in a universe whose extent is beyond our
capacity to fathom, the unprecedented growth of human power
has correspondingly created an imperative for humility. It is
no accident that, at the end of a life of incomparable
scientific achievement, Einstein said: "I cannot believe that
God is playing dice with the universe."

TOTAL P.03

AUG-17-1999 15:56

KAI DC

212 753 7248 P.03

3

TOTAL P.03

AUG-17-1999 15:58

KAI DC

212 753 7248 P.02

Current Working
COPY

8/17/99-#2

TIME

History books are generally accounts of political
changes. These will surely record the 20th century as perhaps
the bloodiest in human history, [particularly] when measured
by the sheer numbers of dead and maimed as a result of war and
tyranny. The passage of time will gradually obliterate these
wounds, and the political upheavals which have resulted from
them have proved astonishingly ephemeral.

But the ultimate test of the impact of an individual or a
group of individuals is twofold: whether the world they left
is qualitatively different from that [which] they inherited,
and [what] contribution they made to that change. By this
standard, the seminal event of the 20th century is the

AUG-17-1999 15:58

KAI DC

212 753 7248

2

scientific revolution. Einstein's theory of relativity and Heisenberg's quantum mechanics toppled the existing view of the universe and opened the way to discoveries that eclipse all previous scientific achievements of recorded history. Not every scientific breakthrough has proved unambiguously benign-unleashing the atom, for example--but all have expanded the human horizon into spheres previous generations could not even imagine.

And, in the process, science and metaphysics, the secular and the sacred, have begun to merge. As science comes face-to-face with infinity, it deals with a phenomenon it can barely describe and never really explain. The Einsteinian revolution has produced a paradox: while vastly extending mankind's reach, it has also exposed the essentially finite nature of the human scale. Living as we do on a speck in a universe whose extent is beyond our capacity to fathom, the

AUG-17-1999 15:58

KAI DC

212 753 7248 P.04

3

TOTAL P.04

AUG-17-1999 13:14

KAI DC

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8/17/99 #1

TIME

History books generally [focus on] political history.
And these will record the 20th century as perhaps the
bloodiest in human history, certainly if measured by [numbers]
dead and maimed [as a result of] war and tyranny. But the
passage of time will gradually obliterate these wounds, and
the political upheavals which have resulted are still [only]
in midstream.

The 20th century will surely leave its seminal mark[,
however,] by way of the scientific revolution it witnessed.
Einstein's theory of relativity and Heisenberg's quantum
mechanics [upset?] the existing view of the universe and
opened the way to discoveries [against which] all the previous

AUG-17-1999 13:14

KAI DC

212 753 7248 P.03

scientific achievements of the entire human history [pale].

Not [every one is] unambiguously benign--unleashing the atom, for example--but all of them have expanded the human horizon into spheres previous generations could not even imagine.

And, in the process, science and metaphysics, the empirical and the religious, have begun to merge. As science [confronts] infinity, it comes up against phenomena it can describe but not really explain. The Einsteinian revolution, while extending mankind's reach, has also [exposed] the finiteness of the human scale, living as we do on a speck in a universe whose extent is beyond our capacity to fathom. The unprecedented growth of human power has also created the imperative of a corresponding need for humility. It is no accident that, at the end of a life of [incomparable] scientific achievement, Einstein said: "I cannot believe that God is playing dice with the universe."

TOTAL P.03

JUL-14-99 WED 11:09 TIME MAGAZINE

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TIME
MAGAZINE

Via Facsimile

July 14, 1999

JUL 14 1999

Dear Dr. Kissinger:

TIME's ongoing series naming the 100 most influential people of the 20th century will culminate in the magazine's naming a single figure as the Person of the Century, to be announced at the turn of the century. This person will be the man or woman who has had the most profound impact on the events of the 20th Century.

To help inform TIME's editors and our readers, we are asking a select group of people to tell us whom they would choose for this honor, giving us the reasons for it. We will then use this information in a short feature in our Letters section that runs every few weeks during 1999.

We would very much like to hear your thoughts on the Person of the Century. Walter Isaacson mentioned that your ideas on Albert Einstein that you two discussed last night were very intriguing. If you could write us a short piece of about three to five sentences (or about 200 words), we would be pleased to publish your views in our Letters column feature.

We began this feature in the April 12 issue and have been running it approximately every four weeks. If we could receive your comments by August 15, we would appreciate it. Or if that time frame is not convenient for you, we could still use your piece if it reached us by Sept. 9. Your remarks can be faxed to me directly in New York at (212) 467-0396 or can be e-mailed to me the Letters editor, at the address below. We very much look forward to hearing from you,

Sincerely,

Betty Satterwhite, Letters Editor, TIME
(212) 522-4377, fax (212) 467-0396

E-mail: betty_satterwhite@timemagazine.com