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Sybe I. Rispens

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Sybe I. Rispens (born April 17, 1969[1]) is a Dutch author, scientist and entrepreneur.

Education and Work

Rispens was born in Dokkum, The Netherlands on April 17, 1969[1]. He received his Bachelor degree in Electronic Engineering from the Noordelijke Hogeschool Leewarden, before further completing his Masters at TU-Twente. He received his Master’s in the Philosophy of Science from the University of Amsterdam in 1996. In 2005, Rispens was awarded a PhD in the History of Artificial Intelligence from Rijksuniversiteit Groningen[2] with the dissertation, Machine Reason: A History of Clocks, Computers and Consciousness.[3]

Rispens is a prolific writer and contributor to such publications as the Dutch periodicals Natuurwetenschap en Techniek, Intermediair, and NRC Handelsblad, and the German newspaper, Die Zeit and the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung.[4] He has published several books, including Einstein in Nederland: Een intellectuele biografie[5] in 2006 and co-authored The Communication Revolution: New Perspectives on Photonics‘ in 2010.[6]

In 2007, Rispens founded the IT and software company, knowledgeatwork.[7] In 2011, Rispens founded the Institut für Wissenschafts- und Technologiekommunikation GmbH (IWTK) in Berlin Germany, a privately held company that focuses on innovation processes in research and technology-centered organizations.[2]

Peter Debye Controversy

In Rispens’ 2006 book, Einstein in Nederland: Een intellectuele biografie (Einstein in the Netherlands: An Intellectual Biography), he revealed that during the period of 1933-1945, Albert Einstein was upset by Nobel Prize winning chemist Peter Debye, Einstein believed to be serving the Third Reich more than he considered ethically correct.[5]

Rispens cited a memo written by Debye during his time as Director of the Physics Section at Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin, which reads:

“In light of the current situation, membership by German Jews as stipulated by the Nuremberg laws, of the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft cannot be continued. According to the wishes of the board, I ask of all members to whom these definitions apply to report to me their resignation. Heil Hitler.”[8]

The resulting reaction to Rispens’ book prompted much controversy. Two prominent Dutch universities--Utrecht University and the University of Maastricht—hastily denounced Debye and stripped him of his honors[9] a decision that was later reversed. [10]

Utrecht University spokesman, Ludo Koks, responded to arguments that Debye was not in a position to dispute orders given to him by the Third Reich, saying “Maybe he was forced to do it, but he did it anyway.”[9]

Both universities acknowledged that Rispens’ book did not constitute proof of Debye’s Nazi loyalties[9], and many came to the scientist’s defense including his grandson, Nordulf Debye. [11]

The allegations inspired several formal investigations. One by Cornell University’s department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology found the allegations to be insufficient to warrant distancing themselves from Debye’s legacy.[12] Another investigation by the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies concluded that Debye was and “opportunist” who “showed himself to be loyal to the dominant political system, first in the Third Reich and then in the United States, while at the same time keeping the back door open: in the Third Reich by retaining his Dutch nationality, in the United States by attempting to secretly maintain some contacts with Nazi Germany via the Foreign Office.”[13]

Publications

Einstein in Nederland. Een intellectuele biografie‘, Ambo: Amsterdam 2006, 242 S. Mit 16 Abbildungen und Index.

‘The Communication Revolution: New Perspectives on Photonics‘, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven: Eindhoven, 2010 ‘Machine Reason. Clocks, Computers and Consciousness‘, Groningen, 2005, 252 p.

References

  1. ^ a b "Sybe I. Rispens". prabook. Prabook. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Dr. Sybe Izaak Rispens". Connect6. Connect6. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Machine Reason: A History of Clocks, Computers and Consciousness". Google Books. Google.
  4. ^ Vermeer, Bram. "Bram Vermeer Journalistiek". Vermeer. Vermeer. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  5. ^ a b Rispens, Sybe. Einstein in Nederland. Een intellectuele biografie. Ambo/Anthos. ISBN 90-263-1903-7. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  6. ^ Rispens, Sybe; Vermeer, Bram; den Hond, Bas; Kwaaitaal, Jacco. The Communication Revolution: New Perspectives on Photonics. COBRA, Inter-University Research School on Communication Technologies Basic Research and Applications. ISBN 9038621558. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  7. ^ "Erstes deutschsprachiges „White Paper über White Papers" downloadbar". LayerMedia, Inc. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  8. ^ "Nobel laureate loses honors over Nazi links". sptimes. St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  9. ^ a b c Max, Arthur. "Dutch Schools Strip Nobel Laureate's Name". apnewsarchive. Associated Press. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  10. ^ Ball, Phillip. "The Year of Chemistry (but some physics and biology too)". homunculus: January 2011. Google. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  11. ^ Debye, Nordulf. "Brief van kleinzoon Debye". New Scientist. New Scientist. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  12. ^ Abruña, Héctor; Chamot, Emile. "Decision CORNELL UNIVERSITY". Wayback Machine. Cornell University. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  13. ^ Eickhoff, Martijn. naam der wetenschap.pdf "In naam der wetenschap? P.J.W. Debye en zijn carrière in nazi - Duitsland" (PDF). NIOD. Nederlands Instituut voor Oorlogsdocumentatie. Retrieved 21 July 2015. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
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