The Construction and Early Work of the Institute for Physical Problems

Abstract

The Institute was established by a government decree dated December 28, 1934, and was named the Institute for Physical Problems. This somewhat unusual name was intended to indicate that the institute will not deal in any specific realm of knowledge but will carry out research in a variety of fields to be determined by the scientists working there. Thus the institute was to engage in pure science rather than applied science. I have to use the somewhat unpopular expression ‘pure science’ for lack of a substitute. The term ‘theoretical science’ was proposed, but in fact every science is theoretical. One must admit that ‘pure science’ [in English] or reine Wissenschaft is a well-en-trenched expression. There is only a single difference between applied and pure science: applied science deals with problems arising from daily life, whereas pure science leads to applicable results since no science can remain forever detached from daily life.