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J.S.Bach appreciation in Duvall, WA

J.S.Bach appreciation in Duvall, WA. From Bach to Einstein and Beyond Variations on Science, Music and Human Affairs University of Oregon, October 29, 2009 with Vladimir Chaloupka, Professor of Physics Adjunct Professor, School of Music

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J.S.Bach appreciation in Duvall, WA

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  1. J.S.Bach appreciation in Duvall, WA

  2. From Bach to Einstein and Beyond Variations on Science, Music and Human Affairs University of Oregon, October 29, 2009 with Vladimir Chaloupka, Professor of Physics Adjunct Professor, School of Music Adjunct Professor, Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington www.phys.washington.edu/users/vladi

  3. From Bach to Einstein and Beyond Variations on Science, Music and Human Affairs or Making a Coherent Whole out of Science, Music and Human Affairs. or Science, Music and Human Affairs, with Exuberance and Humility or What Is To Be Done?

  4. A discussion of Bach as a genetic phenomenon and Bach as an Amadeus phenomenon will be followed by a consideration of Einstein as a physicist, as a musician and as a prophet. Bach’s Kunst der Fuge (Art of Fugue) will be discussed as a triple art: the art of composing a fugue, art of playing a fugue and art of listening to a fugue. Modern physics (Einstein’s E=mc2) will be shown to provide an unexpected angle on the age-old question: “Why is there Something rather than Nothing?” A Brief Grand Tour of the Universe shall focus on physics, astronomy and molecular biology, and it will lead to the introduction of the Basic Problem of our Civilization. Finally, another question will be raised, but not fully answered: “What Is To Be Done?”

  5. What Is To Be Done? Vladimir Chaloupka -------------------------- [1] Readers well versed in the history of political philosophy will have recognized my title as identical to that of the most famous piece by my infamous namesake. Well, he was a rebel, and so am I. But the similarity ends there, I hope.

  6. Science, Music and Human Affairs, with Exuberance and Humility E = mc2

  7. Bach as a genetic phenomenon Bach as Amadeus phenomenon Amadeus as a movie phenomenon Amadeus as opera phenomenon -------------------------- And above all: Bach as a phenomenon that we don’t understand (and probably don’t deserve). Recall counting buttons on Bach’s portraits (and “finding” 14 = B+A+C+H) The ultimate: a Music Doctoral Thesis explaining, with a great feeling of a DISCOVERY, why the Unfinished Fugue breaks off at bar 239 Johann Sebastian Bach (yes, he was young once, too …)

  8. I. Physics is Different Consider a system of two particles • - for example the system (Earth + Moon): • A question for you: • m(Earth+Moon) = ? • m(Earth+Moon) = m(Earth)+m(Moon)? • But consider E=mc2: every bit of mass m has an energy of E=mc2, and conversely, an energy E corresponds to a mass m=E/c2 (and c = 300,000 km/s is the speed of light). • m(Earth+Moon) < m(Earth)+m(Moon)? • m(Earth+Moon) > m(Earth)+m(Moon)?

  9. What is the mass of bound system: M -> m1 + m2 Mc2 + E(binding) = m1c2 + m2c2 Therefore Mc2 = = m1c2 + m2c2 - E(binding) M = = m1 + m2 – E(binding)/c2 and M < m1+m2 !!! • => For sufficiently strong binding M -> 0 !!! • => (???) Creation of the Universe out of Nothing (???)

  10. Recent Physics Colloquium: usually like “Measurement of antiproton-proton annihilations” “Why is there Something rather than Nothing?” Conclusion: “Maybe there is Nothing, cleverly disguised as Something.”

  11. On the other hand: modern Physics also tells us that the Nothingness – the Vacuum, is in fact very much alive with virtual particles and antiparticles. So perhaps the Macbeth’s tale of “sound and fury signifying nothing” Shakespeare should be replaced by “The vacuum is a boiling sea of nothingness, full of sound and fury, signifying a great deal.” An anonymous physicist

  12. Conclusions from Physics: • Physics is Different: “Recent decades have taught us that physics is a magic window. It shows us the illusion that lies behind reality - and the reality that lies behind illusion. Its scope is immensely greater than we once realized. We are no longer satisfied with insights only into particles, or fields of force, or geometry, or even space and time. Today we demand of physics some understanding of existence itself.” J.A.Wheeler

  13. Cf. Einstein: “The most incomprehensible thing about the Universe is that it is [it appears to be] comprehensible” – and that comprehensibility we neither understand nor deserve.

  14. Einstein as Scientist, Musician and Prophet • Einstein as scientist: Recently we celebrated the Centenary of Einstein’s Annus Mirabilis • Einstein as musician: from a review: “Einstein plays excellently. However, his world-wide fame is undeserved. There are many violinists who are just as good.” • Einstein as prophet: “Nuclear weapons changed everything except our way of thinking.”

  15. A brief but Grand Tour of the Universe. Our Sun (8 light minutes away). Note the giant protuberance on the lower right. The size of the Earth is comparable to one of the little specks.

  16. Grand Cosmic Recycling: Exploding star (3,800 light years away) enriches the interstellar medium with heavy elements needed for life. New stars, with planets, will form in a few hundred million years. Every single atom of oxygen, nitrogen carbon,… in your body was in a star before. We literally came from the stars.

  17. The Andromeda Galaxy 2 million light years away. The most distant object visible by naked eye (you have to know where to look, and find a really dark place, but the experience is very much worth it!) Note: for details on when and how to see Andromeda, see http://www.physics.ucla.edu/ ~huffman/m31.html

  18. Each white dot represent a galaxy (with about 100 billions stars each) as determined by the measurement results of the “2df galaxy survey”. Note the distance scale.

  19. Black hole (a singularity with a mass of 6.4 billion Suns) at center of the galaxy M87 (55 million light years away) with globular clusters (the faint yellow cloud is the billions of the stars of the galaxy itself; the visible dots are globular clusters (see next slide))

  20. Globular cluster Omega Centauri

  21. Hubble telescope photograph of a center of a globular star cluster.

  22. The famous “Hubble Deep Field”.

  23. This was the famous Hubble Deep Field: Magnification is so large that only one star of own Galaxy is in the picture. (See an animation of the process at http://www.phys.washington.edu/users/vladi/phys216/forGrandTour/HST_deep.mpg Some galaxies are more that 10 billion light years away. Recall that the Big bang happened about 14 billion years ago. Also recall Steven Weinberg (Physics Nobel Prize 1979) bestseller “The First Three Minutes”. If it sounds impressive to claim to be able to discuss what happened within three minutes after the Big Bang, consider that experiments are under way to measure what happened A FRACTION OF A SECOND after the Big Bang.

  24. Hubble Ultra Deep Field

  25. Another glimpse at Infinity • This time the Infinity of Complexity resulting from an absurdly simple formula: the Mandelbrot Set • Take some (complex) number c • 1) set z(0) = 0 • 2) calculate z(n+1) = z(n)^2 + c and go back to 2) • 3) if z(n) stays finite then c belongs to the set

  26. Complexity of the Mandelbrot set is reminiscent of the complexity of Bach fugues .

  27. Bach fugue in the “physicist’s piano roll” notation

  28. Molecular Biology • Molecular Biology is Different, too, but differently different: • what you see is what you get (but it turns out fantastically complex, awesome and useful)

  29. Molecular Biology: the structure of DNA Watson and Crick with their model of DNA: the real thing is exactly like that, just much smaller …

  30. Fig. 19: Marvelous Molecular machines contd. Left: “spontaneous” assembly and disassembly of a microtubule Above: a kinesin molecule walks[sic] along a microtubule, carrying an organelle See http://multimedia.mcb.harvard.edu/anim_innerlife_hi.html See http://multimedia.mcb.harvard.edu/anim_innerlife_hi.html

  31. Science and Human Affairs • But Molecular Biology is different for other reasons, too: • you can do it in your basement • And you don’t need millions of $$$ • Some celebrate this as a “democratization of science”, expecting great progress • BUT: => the Basic Problem and the Big Gap

  32. The Basic Problem • For the first time in human history, the capability of causing extreme harm is, or will soon be, in the hands of individuals or small groups. This is the 'Basic Problem'.  The actual manifestation of the problem will come as an intentional or accidental misuse of our new powers. • Illustration: knowledge of nuclear physics is not sufficient to actually build a nuclear weapon (expense, detectability). • Contrast with molecular biology (which I love !!!)

  33. the Basic Problem is a reflection of the Big Gap: the ever-increasing gap between the cumulative, exponential progress in science and technology on the one hand, and on the other hand, the lack of comparable progress in our ability to use our new technological tools thoughtfully and responsibly.

  34. Aristotle as a case study: Aristotle Physics: F = m times v F = m times a Aristotle Philosophy: "of the above mentioned forms, the perversions are as follows: of monarchy, tyranny; of aristocracy, oligarchy; of constitutional government, democracy."

  35. A Musical Illustration • In the 18th century, they traveled in horse-driven carriages • Today, we go to the Moon • Who was being mobbed by fans in 18th century? • Who is being mobbed by fans today? • Also: recall Greek tragedies and comedies

  36. What Is To Be Done? • Education • Risk Assessment (instead of “relinquishment”) • Defensive and Preventive measures (intentional acts / accidents / natural ) • Coping with the aftermath • Strengthening of the International Law See www.phys.washington.edu/users/vladi/bp.doc

  37. III. What about culture / music / Bach’s music? Senator John Pastore: “what is the value of Elementary Particle Physics for National Defense?” Dr. Robert R. Wilson: “none, except it makes the Nation worth defending” ------- question: “what is the value of J.S.Bach’s Art of Fugue ?” Vladi: “none, except it makes the Civilization more worthy of preserving” ------- To solve the Basic Problem, we will have to find a way to combine Exuberance and Humility – and (Bach’s) Music can help!

  38. Exuberance and Humility in Music, and Science The pipe organ at the St. Marks Cathedral in Seattle, and the 1743 (Bach was just composing the Art of Fugue then!) instrument at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg). -------------------------- And wisdom and kindness of Victor Borge ….

  39. CONCLUSIONS • Science, when properly understood and taught, leads to a highly spiritual, idealistic, non-materialistic worldview. • Physics is an excellent glue between different Science disciplines, and Music is a glue between Sciences and Humanities • This may make it possible to re-establish the original meaning of the concept of a “University” and of Science as “Natural Philosophy” – so that we deserve our PhD titles! • In human affairs, the basic problem we are facing is the Basic Problem: the gap between our science and our ethics.

  40. Science and Music, with Bach and Einstein (and others, of course) symbolize many aspects and dimensions of infinity and eternity, exuberance and humility, and wisdom and hope. E = mc2

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