Description:

Albert Einstein
Princeton, NJ, October 15, 1944
Einstein Writes on his "general theory of relativity compared to Newton's theory" - Fantastic Science Content
TLS
An important content typed letter signed "A. Einstein", one page, 8.5 x 11 in., Princeton, New Jersey, October 15, 1944. On his Institute for Advanced Study letterhead and in German to noted Professor of Linguistics, Giuliano (Julian) Hugo Bonfante. Fine condition, with pencil emendations in Bonfante's hand and accompanied by the transmittal cover as well as two intriguing period photographs.

According to the original auction description accompanying this letter, a member of the Bonfante family -- and most almost certainly his daughter Larissa, herself a linguistics professor at NYU -- stated that Giuliano had invited Einstein to discuss the topic of logic by posing the question: "Is it a fact that when facing rival theorems, the simpler one tends to be the true one?" This letter is one of two we offer following-up on this request. Indeed, in a letter dated September 29, 1944, Einstein invited Bonfante to discuss the issue in person, writing: "I will be very happy to hear from you personally about your scientific thinking, but you must be prepared for the fact that my own relationships with logic are more instinctive than they are considered."

In this convivial letter, Einstein validates Bonfante's supposition that the simpler theorem tends to be true, in part: "…I think your theses are essentially correct; I would phrase it like this:

A. Of two theories that represent the same complex of phenomena compatible with observation, the theory that is grounded on the lesser number of logically independent hypotheses (axioms) is to be preferred.

B. This criterion applies to the general theory of relativity compared to Newton's theory.
Note: the weak side of the formulation of A is that the number of axioms is not a sufficiently sharply defined number. They depend to a certain extent on the formulation.

I believe that a more precise version of the criterion would be possible, but I do not believe that it has already succeeded…".

Bonfante pencils a notation in German in the margin alongside point A: "is the one to be preferred."

Point A is quoted in "Einstein's Unification" by Jeroen van Dongen, and is used to exemplify Einstein's work and thought processes with regards to unification theory.

As for Einstein's comparison, Newtonian mechanics is a classical theory of physics that describes the behavior of objects under the influence of forces, and postulates that the concepts of distance, time, and mass, are absolute. While in some ways it is compatible with relativity, the theory of relativity says that the laws of physics cannot depend on how fast you an object is moving; allthat can be measured is the velocity of one object relative to another.

Giuliano Hugo Bonfante (1904-2005) was an influential Italian professor of linguistics. With the rise of Fascism in 1930s Italy, he fled with his family to the United States in 1939 through The Emergency Committee in Aid of Displaced Foreign Scholars, and joined Princeton University that same year. It was there that he met Einstein, and the two families subsequently socialized together (cf. "Giuliano Bonfante nella storia della linguistica," by Maria Luisa Porzio Gernia). Bonfante was already well-known as a linguist in Europe with a specialty in Indo-European linguistics. At Princeton, he worked with Roman Jakobson and corresponded with Richard P. McKeon, Thomas Sebeok and other notable semioticians and linguists, publishing many pieces. He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1952, when he left Princeton to return to Italy.

This letter is accompanied by two small snapshots, 2.33 x 3.5 inches b/w, showing Einstein's sister Maia and suggesting that the Einstein and Bonfante families met multiple times. One image of Maia standing with a bespectacled man is docketed on verso "Fur Maja Ostern [Easter] 1943." The second photo is taken at another time, with Maia dressed casually and crocheting beneath a tree in a back yard. Maia emigrated to the United States in 1939 (the same year as Bonfante) and lived with her brother until her death in 1951.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"
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