LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

ON I. V. KUZNETSOV’S ARTICLE

“AGAINST IDEALIST DISTORTIONS OF THE CONCEPTS OF MASS AND ENERGY”

The second issue of volume XLVIII of the journal Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk for October 1952 is devoted to discussion of the question of mass and energy. One can only welcome this undertaking and wish the editors of Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk success in this matter.

As is known, science cannot develop without a struggle of opinions, without freedom of criticism. The unfolding of a struggle of opinions among Soviet scientists presupposes the existence of respect for one’s opponent and a conscientious attitude toward his statements, toward his views. Without this, a struggle of opinions cannot be carried out and degenerates into something unworthy of Soviet scientists.

Unfortunately, this basic requirement has not been fulfilled by I. V. Kuznetsov in his article “Against Idealist Distortions of the Concepts of Mass and Energy.” Criticizing my statements on the question of mass and energy, he writes on p. 253 of the cited issue of Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk: “...A. A. Maksimov takes the next step along the path of energetism, asserting, as supposedly modern science has confirmed, the proposition that ‘the quantity of matter changes, turning into energy.’” In citing the words “the quantity of matter changes, turning into energy,” I. V. Kuznetsov refers to p. 266 of my book Essays on the History of the Struggle for Materialism in Russian Natural Science, 1947.

Let us read what is actually stated on p. 266 of my book. On this page the discussion concerns a “Note on Atomic Weights,” published by A. M. Butlerov, which I quote in my book, “in 1882” in the Journal of the Russian Physico-Chemical Society and presented to the Paris Chemical Society. In this note, allowing for fluctuations of the atomic weights of elements, Butlerov sets forth three assumptions explaining these fluctuations.

The first assumption—the quantity of matter changes, turning into energy.

The second assumption—the quantity of matter does not change, but the weight changes in view of a change in the form of motion determining the gravitation of atoms toward the earth.

The third assumption—the very mass of the atom, its atomic weight, changes.

Butlerov was inclined to regard the third assumption as the most probable and corresponding to reality.

This is what is written in my book. From the passage cited it is clear that the first assumption of Butlerov, which he himself considers open to doubt, is attributed by I. V. Kuznetsov to me, thereby deceiving the reader.

Such a method of discussing a question and presenting an opponent’s views is inadmissible in our Soviet press and cannot lead to a fruitful result.

I emphatically protest against the method employed by I. V. Kuznetsov, and I ask that my letter be published in the next issue of the journal Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk.

15 January 1953

Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, A. A. Maksimov.