[Princeton-a paradise for scholars] Princeton global scholars

The American Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton, New Jersey is called? Intelligent kingdom? A paradise for literati? . Here is an academic holy land where the smartest minds in the world gather-19 Nobel Prize winners, 32 professors have won the highest prize in the field of mathematics, and Einstein is the most dazzling star among them.

The professors here don't have to teach, lecture or be busy with any scientific research and tasks. They are invited here only to think freely about life, the universe and all other propositions, and not to be bound by secular affairs, let alone worry about making a living.

The year 2005 is the 75th anniversary of the establishment of American Institute of Advanced Studies, the 50th anniversary of Einstein's death and the100th anniversary of the birth of the theory of relativity. A series of activities have made this academic hall, which has been isolated from the world and shrouded in mysterious aura, attract the attention of the world.

With a generous salary, thinking is the only mission.

Michael. Walser is perhaps the happiest philosopher in the world. He said:? Once you come here, you can do anything you want. We are a privileged class, we have super freedom, no one supervises you, interferes with you, and no one judges the value of what you do. Life here is unparalleled, and it is a good place to absolutely emancipate your mind. ?

Dr. Walther is the most important contemporary political thinker. He has been engaged in research in the American Institute for Advanced Studies for 25 years. When he said this, he was wearing sportswear, sitting leisurely in a sunny and comfortable office, enjoying the party? Pure land for American intellectuals? To bring him comfort.

IAS is located in Princeton, New Jersey, in a forest of 500 acres (2 square kilometers), not far from the world-famous Princeton University.

Since the great scientist Einstein came here from Europe in 1933, the American Institute of Advanced Studies has become the place where the world's top academic talents gather. A paradise for literati? Fame. There are the most famous physicists, historians, anthropologists, philosophers, astronomers and sociologists in the world. Their annual salary is not less than $250,000. All they need to do is think like Rodin. At 3 o'clock every afternoon, delicious snacks, mellow wine and fragrant cups of hot tea will also relax the brain on time.

The American Institute of Advanced Studies is divided into four departments: the Department of Historical Studies, the Department of Mathematics, the Department of Sociology and the Department of Natural Science. There are 26 tenured professors, three of whom are women. In addition, every year, 190 faculty members from world-renowned universities are invited to do one-year postdoctoral research here. But unlike other research institutes in the world, there are no graduate students, no syllabus, no lectures, no teaching courses, no academic committees and no research projects. After getting rid of the financial worries and the burden of teaching, scholars in the research institute can pursue their academic hobbies completely freely, no matter which direction they take and how much time they spend. Thinking is the only mission.

In graduate school, in addition to Einstein, other superstars in academic circles include mathematician Kurt? Godel is regarded as the greatest logician since Aristotle; Archaeologist Homer? Thompson, who completely changed the world's understanding of Greek culture; Forever fixed as? Father of the atomic bomb? Robert? Oppenheimer; World famous mathematician John? Feng? Newman, who built the world's first high-speed stored program computer in the basement of the institute; Famous historian and strategic analyst George? Kennan, who constructed the cold war strategy of the United States.

In addition to the world-famous doyen, the great men who are still alive today are: have? The smartest person in the world? Edward, a famous mathematician and physicist? Witten, in addition to 19 Nobel Prize winners and 32 international mathematicians? Nobel Prize? ――? Falc Prize? The winner of.

Mathematician Qiu Chengtong is the first China scholar to be hired as a tenured professor by the American Institute of Advanced Studies. Professor Yang Zhenning also spent the golden years of his academic career in the Institute of Advanced Studies for more than ten years. The American Institute of Advanced Studies and Princeton University are administratively independent, but they have a close academic history. Graduate students in universities are frequent visitors to academic lectures of advanced research institutes. Mr. Yang Zhenning once recalled that there were many young people in the institute. Every afternoon, while drinking tea outside the hall, we exchange views and chat in different places. There are many excellent people, so the competition is fierce. Through constant discussion and competition, I learned a lot. ?

The famous poet t? s？ Eliot is the first heavyweight recruited by the American Institute of Advanced Studies in the field of literature and art. He wrote a famous poem "Cocktail Party" here on 1948. Not long after that, he went to Sweden to collect Nobel Prize in Literature, then chose to settle in Britain and never came back.

Superior environment makes narcissism prevail.

Perhaps in the 75-year history of the college, Eliot is the only one who is willing to leave such a superior environment. He left not because the small environment is not good enough, but because he really likes Britain. Almost all scholars are reluctant to leave graduate school, and many people even return to their original offices regularly after many years of retirement. Food is one of the temptations of this research institute. Besides refreshments at 3pm every day and twice a week, the chefs here will also provide exquisite banquet meals for professors, such as steamed Maine lobster, roasted wild beef, roasted venison and fried yellowfin tuna? No matter the color or taste, professors can't help but move their forefingers. The wine cellar with 9,500 bottles of wine also makes professors miss the life here and linger.

In the American Institute of Advanced Studies, scholars think about all kinds of things, from galaxy dynamics, bioethics, terrorism research to historical research, from the evolution of language to Byzantine theology. However, in addition to these lofty topics, several astrophysicists also tried to design a roulette wheel for the casino, hoping that it could replace the gambling machine in Atlantic City, a casino not far from Princeton.

Because of the unusual way of working here, it is impossible for outsiders to guess what these scholars are doing. There have been rumors that people from the institute began to sleep when they came to the office. However, Professor Walther said that he didn't find any colleagues around him doing this. He himself appeared at his desk at 8 o'clock every working day and began to immerse himself in political theory, moral philosophy, welfare state, just war, unjust war and other interesting topics. He supported the war in Afghanistan launched by the United States, but opposed the American invasion of Iraq and preemptive strikes.

However, even in this academic paradise where there is no teaching task and there is no need to worry about the economy, there are scholars' usual struggles: conspiracy, secret competition, gossip and interpersonal friction. This academic circle is full of personality. ? Professor Walther said? We have been alone for too long, and narcissism has become a common disease. ? This narcissism has a proper term in graduate school-? Einstein effect? .

Einstein was the first great man to come to the American Institute of Advanced Studies. It is his arrival that attracts more scholars. It is said that when Einstein came to the Institute of Advanced Studies, he pulled down the blinds in his office and announced: I need to think for a while. ?

This research institute is supported by well-funded enterprises.

What if you make a fortune in business and have more money? Education! This is a great event that will last forever and benefit the country and the people. In the United States, the rich have a tradition of investing in education, so many famous educational institutions are backed by well-funded enterprises. American Institute of Advanced Studies is no exception. In the late 1920s, Louis Bamberg family of Bamberg family in New Jersey started as a small shop. Bamberg and Caroline? Bamberg's brothers and sisters, after years of development, have become the giants of department store retailing in New England in the northeastern United States. Six weeks before the 1929 new york stock market crash, they sold all their shares to their rival Macy's and got $25 million in cash. This was a very large number at that time. They decided to fund the establishment of a dental school in New Jersey, so they asked someone to consult the then medical education expert Abraham? Flexner.

Flexner has retired. At that time, he just wrote a pamphlet. The theme of this booklet is to point out that science and technology in the United States were very weak at that time. The United States must establish some independent institutions specializing in scientific research. Moreover, flexner especially respects the German system, and his ideal is to create a? A free society for scholars? Let outstanding intellectuals continue their research in the ivory tower without any influence. A few days later, Louis? Mr Bamberg invited flexner to lunch. Bamberg said to flexner. Your writing is very good, and I am willing to do my best to support your ideas and plans. How much do you think it will cost?

Flexner later said in his autobiography that before meeting, he didn't expect his idea to come true so quickly, and he didn't even think about how much it would cost. At that time, he casually said a number that he thought was very large:? Five million. ? $5 million, at that time, was quite amazing.

Louis? Bamberg did not immediately confirm. A few days later, he formally wrote a letter to flexner, saying? I am willing to donate 5 million yuan, but on one condition, you must be the first president of the Institute of Advanced Studies. ?

However, after receiving the letter, flexner hesitated for a long time. After all, he has retired for a long time, and I don't know if he should agree to Bamberg's request.

After two weeks of trouble, his wife came out to talk. She said:? You must accept it. I have lived with you for decades and know you very well. If you don't accept this job today, your temper will definitely become very bad, and I can't live with you anymore. ?

In this way, flexner accepted the request of millionaire Bamberg and became the first president of the American Institute of Advanced Studies. The first thing he has to do is to plan what the institute will study. He decided to find excellent talents first, and then develop the subjects he was good at, instead of deciding what subjects to develop first and then finding someone. That is to say, first find a person who has done and can continue to do excellent research work, and if he is willing to come, open up his research field in the institute.

With the abundant funds provided by the Bamberg family, flexner began to travel around the world, mainly in Europe, looking for outstanding scholars. At that time, Europe, especially G? ttingen, was a sacred place for scholars. Flexner promises to give these scholars generous salaries and extra allowances, and ensure their absolute academic freedom and personality independence. However, the recruitment work is not smooth. In the eyes of many Europeans, the United States at that time was only a paradise for the nouveau riche, even if it was not a wilderness.

Einstein, the golden signboard of the institute

1930 the American institute of advanced studies was established with the purpose of encouraging? Basic exploration of the unknown world? . At this time, flexner not only did not give up the work of recruiting talents in Europe, but also targeted the world-renowned scientist Einstein. At that time, many famous universities and academic institutions in Europe, including those in Madrid, Paris and Oxford, sent invitations to Einstein. Flexner promised Einstein an annual salary of $65,438+0,000, three times Einstein's expectation. Einstein signed a contract with him and said, I can't wait. ? At that time, anti-Semitism rose in Europe. For Einstein, who was born in a Jewish family, Europe is really no longer a place to stay. As soon as the news that Einstein agreed to go to the American Institute of Advanced Studies came out, the academic circles immediately realized that the Pope of Physics had moved to the United States, and it would soon become the center of natural science in the world. ? 1933 10 in October, Einstein and his wife came to Princeton. In the same year, Austrian logic prodigy Kurt? Gard and German mathematical superstar Herman? Weil also came to America. In this way, almost overnight, the American Institute of Advanced Studies became as eye-catching as the University of G? ttingen in Germany.

However, something unpleasant happened between Einstein and flexner soon. Franklin, then president of the United States? Roosevelt invited Einstein to visit the White House, but in order to ensure that scholars could concentrate on their research, flexner refused Einstein's request. His explanation of the White House is as follows: Professor Einstein came to Princeton to continue his scientific research. He must not look special just because he is invited by the White House, so he is bound to enter the public eye. ? Einstein was very angry about this. He felt that his right to free choice had been violated. What is his signature in the letter to his friend? Princeton concentration camp? At the same time, he threatened to resign and asked flexner to stop interfering in his personal affairs. Three years later, Einstein instigated the professors of the Institute to defect and removed flexner from the position of dean.

Although Einstein's major academic achievements were completed before he came to Princeton, he was a huge gold-lettered signboard of the institute and attracted many first-class talents. ? Father of the atomic bomb? Oppenheimer was the dean of 19 years here. He sincerely praised the institute. A grand hotel for intellectuals? .

(Illustration Yao Layuan's Seeing the World, No.3, 2006)

Editor: Wang Haizai (article number: 434)