From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hans-Peter Dürr (October 7, 1929 in Stuttgart) is a German
physicist. In addition to nuclear and quantum physics, elementary particles and gravitation, epistemology, and philosophy, he has
advocated responsible scientific and energy policies.
Biography
Between 1978 and 1992 he was executive Director of the Max Planck Institute for Physics and
Astrophysics in Munich for several times. He was Vice executive
director at the Max Planck Institute for
Physics (Werner-Heisenberg-Institute) 1972-1977, 1981-1986 and
1993-1995. Until 1997 he was professor of physics at the Ludwig Maximilian University, both in Munich, Germany.
Dürr completed his Ph.D. in 1956 after studying physics in
Stuttgart (Dipl.-Phys. 1953) and at University of California in Berkeley, supervised
by Edward
Teller. In 1962 he was a guest-professor in Berkeley,
California and Madras, India.
As "the" follower of Prof. Werner Heisenberg, he specializes in
nuclear
physics, quantum physics, elementary particles and gravitation, epistemology and philosophy. He also
champions various social justice causes, and helped fund
the "David against Goliath" organization protesting against a nuclear fuel
reprocessing plant in Bavaria.
In the 1980s, Dürr advocated the cause of peace as a member of
the Pugwash
Conferences on Science and World Affairs. In 1983, he helped
co-fund the Scientists' Initiative "Responsibility for Peace",
which led to the Scientists' Peace Congress in Mainz attended by 3,300 scientists and the
Mainzer Appell, a declaration against further nuclear armament. In
1990, another large scientists' convention in Göttingen warned
against the militarization of space. In support of these
conventions, Dürr gave a series of lectures at numerous German
universities. Dürr is a leading critic of the American Strategic
Defense Initiative (SDI), otherwise known as Star Wars.
In 1986 Dürr proposed a World Peace Initiative, on a similar
scale to the Strategic
Defence Initiative, to solve environmental problems, and
achieve social justice and peace. This was later reborn as the
Global Challenges Network, which received the Right
Livelihood Award together with Dürr.
More recently, Dürr has contributed to the global environmental
movement. He served as a member of the board of Greenpeace Germany and as
a member of the International Advisory Council on the Economic
Development of Hainan in Harmony with the Natural Environment in
China. In 1996, Dürr was made a member of the UN Secretary General's international advisory
group for the Habitat II Conference in Istanbul.
Dürr is a member of the Club of Rome and serves on the scientific
committee of the Vienna Internationale Akademie für Zukunftsfragen,
advocating sustainable, equitable, and viable development,
emphasizing energy efficiency and sufficiency as a point of
entry.
In 2005, together with Daniel Dahm and Rudolf zur Lippe, he
published the Potsdam Manifesto
and the Potsdam Denkschrift as a follow-up
to the Russel-Einstein-Manifesto of 1955. The Potsdam Manifesto and
Potsdam Denkschrift were signed by a large group of scientists from
all over the world, including 20 laureates of the Right
Livelihood Award, the Alternative Nobel Prize.
Since 2006 he has been a founding councillor at the World
Future Council.
Honors
- Award of Merit 1956, Oakland USA;
- Right Livelihood Award 1987 („Alternativer Nobelpreis“),
Stockholm;
- Waldemar-von-Knoeringen-Award 1989, Munich;
- Ecology Award „Goldene Schwalbe“ 1990, Darmstadt;
- Natura Obligat Medaille 1991, University of the Bundeswehr
Munich;
- Elise and Walter Haas International Award 1993, University
of California;
- Medal `München leuchtet' 1996 in Gold, Culture Award
Munich;
- Honorary Doctor Dr.phil. h.c, 2002, University Oldenburg,
Philosophical Faculty;
- Großes Verdienstkreuz des Bundesverdienstorden der
Bundesrepublik Deutschland, 2004, Berlin.
Honorary memberships and memberships in international
organisations
- Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina, Halle,
1975;
- Rhodes Scholarship Foundation, Vorsitzender des deutschen
Auswahlausschusses, Hamburg, 1979-1982;
- Vereinigung Deutscher Wissenschaftler, Berlin, Vorstand,
1980-1986, und Vorstandsvorsitzender, 1991-97, 2000-;
- E.F.-Schuhmacher-Gesellschaft, Kuratorium, Munich,
1980-;
- Studiengruppe Sanfte Energietechnologien München SESAM,
University Munich 1981-1983;
- Naturwissenschaftler Initiative – Verantwortung für den
Frieden, Mainz, 1983;
- Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs,
London/Geneva, 1983, Council 1987-97,
- Peace-Nobel Prize 1995;
- Energiekommission der Landeshauptstadt, Munich,
1983-;
- Wissenschaftszentrum München, Vorstand Beirat,
1983-;
- Scientists against Nuclear Weapons and for Peace,
Sowjetische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Moskau, 1984-;
- August-Bebel-Kreis, Tübingen, 1986-1990;
- Greenpeace Deutschland, Hamburg, Vorstand,
1985-92;
- Stabilitätsorientierte Sicherheitspolitik, Starnberg,
Codirector Forschungsprojekt 1986-1988;
- Institut für Friedensforschung und Sicherheitspolitik,
Wissenschaftlicher Beirat, Universität Hamburg, 1986-;
- Global Challenges Network, München, Gründer und Vorstand,
1987;
- Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR, Berlin,
1987;
- International Foundation for the Survival and Development
of Humanity, Moskau, Mitbegründer und Vorstand, 1988;
- Institut für sozial-ökologische Forschung, Frankfurt, Wiss.
Beirat, 1989-;
- Internationale Akademie für Zukunftsfragen, Wien, Vorstand
und Wissenschaftliches Präsidium, 1990;
- Economic Development of Hainan in Harmony with the Natural
Environment, Intern. Adv. Council, PR China, 1990-93;
- Die Umweltakademie/Umwelt und Management, Oberpfaffenhofen,
Vorsitzender Kuratorium, 1990-97, Vorstand, 1998;
- Club of Rome, Paris, 1991;
- Europäische Stiftung für Natur- und Kulturvermögen, Prag,
Mitbegründer und Präsident, 1991-2001;
- Academia Scientiarum et Artium Europaea, Salzburg, 1991-,
Prodekan, 1993-1995;
- International Network of Engineers and Scientists for
Global Responsibility INES, Hamburg, 1992-;
- Lenkungsausschuss der „Consultative“, DUA
Oberpfaffenhofen/München, 1992-1994;
- Center for Science of Hope, International Center for
Integrated Studies, ICIS. Advisory Council, New York
1993;
- Freunde und Förderer der Robert-Jungk-Stiftung,
Ehrenmitglied, Salzburg, 1993-;
- Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, Vorstand, Chicago,
1993-95;
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research PIK,
Wissenschaftlicher. Beirat, 1993-2003;
- Muhammad Abdus Salam Foundation, Stiftungsrat, London,
1993-1995;
- Volkshochschule, Kuratorium, München, 1994-1996;
- Global Commission to Fund the U .N., Washington D.C,
1995;
- Institut für Zukunftsstudien und Technologiebewertung IZT,
Wissenschaftlicher Beirat, Berlin, 1995-;
- Gruppe Energie 2010: Zukünftige Energiepolitik,
Niedersächsische Energie-Agentur, Hannover, 1995-1998.
- U.N. Conference of Human Settlements, Habitat II,
International Advisory Council, New York, 1996;
- David gegen Goliath, München, 1996, Ehrenmitglied;
1996;
- RIO-Impuls Luzern, Schweiz, Beirat, 1996-;
- Ludwig-Bölkow-Stiftung München, Kuratorium,
1998-2004;
- Roland-Röhl-Stiftung Göttingen, Kuratorium Vorsitzender,
1998;
- Global Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders, New
York, Co-Chair Science, 1999-;
- Stiftung für die Rechte zukünftiger Generationen, Oberursel
Beirat, 1999;
- The State of the World Forum, San Francisco, Gorbachev
Foundation, International Coordinating Council, 1999;
- Herrmann-Knoblauch-Akademie, Schirmherr, Hannover,
1999;
- Bayerische Akademie der Schönen Künste, München,
Ehrenmitglied, 2000;
- Commission on Globalization, The State of the World Forum
San Francisco, New York, 2001;
- Friends of Health, Washington, Scientific Advisory
Committee, 2000;
- Koalition für Leben und Frieden, München , 2002-;
- Stiftung Insel Hombroich, Neuß, Kuratorium,
2003-;
- Lassalle Institut, Bad Schönbrunn, Schweiz,
Patronatskomitee, 2003-;
- International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
IPPNW (Friedens-Nobelpreis, 1985),.Berlin, Wiss. Beirat,
2004.
Books
– Selection
- What is Life? Scientific Approaches and Philosophical Positions
(co-author, co-ed.), World Scientific, 2002, ISBN 9810247400
- Unified Theories of Elementary Particles (ed.), Springer
Verlag, 1982.
- Werner
Heisenberg, Gesammelte Werke (co-ed.), 9 vols., Piper und
Springer Verlag (1985-1993).
- Physik und Transzendenz (ed.), Scherz Verlag, 1986.
- Das Netz des Physikers, Hanser Verlag, 1988.
- De la Science à l’Éthique, Bibliothèque Albin Michel Sciences
1988.
- Geist und Natur (ed.), Scherz Verlag, 1989.
- Respekt vor der Natur - Verantwortung für die Natur, Piper
Verlag, 1994.
- Die Zukunft ist ein unbetretener Pfad, Herder Verlag,
1995.
- Zukünftige Energiepolitik (co-author), Economica Verlag,
1995.
- Umweltverträgliches Wirtschaften (co-ed.), Agenda Verlag,
1995.
- Gott, der Mensch und die Wissenschaft (co-author), Pattloch
Verlag, 1997.
- Rupert
Sheldrake in der Diskussion (co-ed.), Scherz Verlag, 1997.
- Für eine zivile Gesellschaft, dtv 2000.
- Elemente des Lebens (co-ed.), Graue Edition, 2000.
- Wir erleben mehr als wir begreifen (co-author), Herder
spektrum, 2001.
- Wirklichkeit, Wahrheit, Werte und die Wissenschaft (co-author,
co-ed.), BWV, 2003.
- Auch die Wissenschaft spricht nur in Gleichnissen, Herder
spektrum, 2004.
- H.P.Dürr/Raimon Panikkar: Liebe - Urquelle
des Kosmos − Ein Gespräch über Naturwissenschaft und
Religion, Herder Vlg. (Herder Tb.5965), Freiburg 2008, ISBN
978-3-451-05965-0
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