Einstein's Theories of Relativity and Gravitation: A selection of material from the essays submitted in the competition for the Eugene Higgins prize of $5,000Bird, J. Malcolm (James Malcolm)
Philosophy
Einstein's Theories of Relativity and Gravitation: A selection of material from the essays submitted in the competition for the Eugene Higgins prize of $5,000
Bird, J. Malcolm (James Malcolm)
Relativity (Physics)
In his preliminary letter Mr. Higgins had suggested that in view
of the apparent greater importance of the subject to be proposed
for discussion by the contestants of 1920, the prize offered should
probably be more liberal than in the former instance. This view met
with the approval of the editors as well; but they were totally
unprepared for the receipt, late in June, of a cablegram from
Mr. Higgins stating that he had decided to go ahead with the matter,
and that he was forwarding a draft for $5,000 to represent the amount
of the prize. Such a sum, exceeding any award open to a professional
man with the single exception of the Nobel Prize, for which he cannot
specifically compete, fairly took the breath of the Editors, and
made it immediately clear that the contest would attract the widest
attention, and that it should score the most conspicuous success. It
also made it clear that the handling of the contest would be a more
serious matter than had been anticipated.
In spite of the fact that it would not for some time be possible to
announce the identity of the Judges, it was felt that the prospective
contestants should have every opportunity for extensive preparation;
so the contest was announced, and the rules governing it printed
as far as they could be determined on such short shrift, in the
Scientific American for July 10, 1920. Several points of ambiguity
had to be cleared up after this initial publication. In particular,
it had been Mr. Higgins' suggestion that in the very probable event
of the Judges' inability to agree upon the winning essay, the prize
might, at their discretion, be divided between the contributors
of the best two essays. This condition was actually printed in the
first announcement, but the Post Office Department insisted upon its
withdrawal, on the ground that with it in force the contestant would
not know whether he were competing for $5,000 or for $2,500, and that
this would introduce the "element of chance" which alone was necessary,
under the Federal statutes, to make the contest a lottery. So this
provision was replaced by one to the effect that in the event the
Judges were not able to agree, the Einstein Editor should cast the
deciding vote between the essays respectively favored by them.
The announcement attracted the widest attention, and was copied in
newspapers and magazines all over the world. Inquiries poured in from
all quarters, and the Einstein Editor found it almost impossible to
keep himself supplied with proofs of the conditions and rules to mail
in response to these inquiries. It was immediately clear that there
was going to be a large number of essays submitted, and that many
distinguished names would be listed among the competitors.
THE JUDGES
In the Scientific American for September 18, announcement was carried
in the following words:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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