Jens Scheer
Encyclopedia
Jens Scheer was a physicist
, professor of nuclear physics
at the University of Bremen
and one of Germany's best-known anti-nuclear activists.
Scheer was member of the Communist Party of Germany
party (KPD). For reason of his KPD-membership and his political activities, Scheer was threatened in 1975 with the loss of his academic position at the Univerity of Bremen and an interdiction of enacting his profession, as membership in the KPD and his position as university professor were considered incompatible. The legal proceedings lasted for about five years, after which the final verdict was the payment of a fine.
One of Scheer's main research interests was low-level radiation and its effects on human beings. He claimed that radiation exposure at critical moments in life weakens the immune system, thus leading to a higher susceptibility to infectious diseases. After the Chernobyl disaster
of 1986, he invested considerable efforts in attempting to determine the extent of damage caused in the longer term by this disaster.
In an article, Scheer claimed that low-level radiation had caused the death of millions, when all direct and indirect effects of radiation are taken together. His view was criticized as unfounded.
Scheer also published on several stochastic models proposed in the context of quantum theory, in particular those advanced by Jean-Pierre Vigier
and by J.C. Aron, and he criticized a prevailance of positivism
in quantum physics.
In 1994, Scheer died of heart failure.
Articles and book chapters on quantum physics:
Other:
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
, professor of nuclear physics
Nuclear physics
Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of atomic nuclei. The most commonly known applications of nuclear physics are nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons technology, but the research has provided application in many fields, including those...
at the University of Bremen
University of Bremen
The University of Bremen is a university of approximately 23,500 people from 126 countries that are studying, teaching, researching, and working in Bremen, Germany...
and one of Germany's best-known anti-nuclear activists.
Scheer was member of the Communist Party of Germany
Communist Party of Germany
The Communist Party of Germany was a major political party in Germany between 1918 and 1933, and a minor party in West Germany in the postwar period until it was banned in 1956...
party (KPD). For reason of his KPD-membership and his political activities, Scheer was threatened in 1975 with the loss of his academic position at the Univerity of Bremen and an interdiction of enacting his profession, as membership in the KPD and his position as university professor were considered incompatible. The legal proceedings lasted for about five years, after which the final verdict was the payment of a fine.
One of Scheer's main research interests was low-level radiation and its effects on human beings. He claimed that radiation exposure at critical moments in life weakens the immune system, thus leading to a higher susceptibility to infectious diseases. After the Chernobyl disaster
Chernobyl disaster
The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine , which was under the direct jurisdiction of the central authorities in Moscow...
of 1986, he invested considerable efforts in attempting to determine the extent of damage caused in the longer term by this disaster.
In an article, Scheer claimed that low-level radiation had caused the death of millions, when all direct and indirect effects of radiation are taken together. His view was criticized as unfounded.
Scheer also published on several stochastic models proposed in the context of quantum theory, in particular those advanced by Jean-Pierre Vigier
Jean-Pierre Vigier
Jean-Pierre Vigier earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics from University of Geneva in 1946 and in 1948 was appointed assistant to Louis de Broglie, a position he held until the latter's retirement in 1962. Vigier was professor emeritus at in the Department of Gravitational Physics at Pierre et Marie...
and by J.C. Aron, and he criticized a prevailance of positivism
Positivism
Positivism is a a view of scientific methods and a philosophical approach, theory, or system based on the view that, in the social as well as natural sciences, sensory experiences and their logical and mathematical treatment are together the exclusive source of all worthwhile information....
in quantum physics.
In 1994, Scheer died of heart failure.
Publications
Articles relating to low-level radiation and Chernobyl:- Jens Scheer: Neonatal mortality in Germany since the Chernobyl explosion, British Medical Journal 1992;304:843.3, Letter, March 1992, DOI: 10.1136/bmj.304.6830.843-b
- Jens Scheer: How many Chernobyl fatalities?, Scientific Correspondence, Nature 326, 449, April 1987, DOI:10.1038/326449b0
Articles and book chapters on quantum physics:
- Jens Scheer: A view of EPR non-locality problems based on Aron's stochastic foundation of relativity, Foundations of Physics Letters, vol. 3, no. 6, pp. 577–580, 1990, DOI: 10.1007/BF00666026
- Jens Scheer, Klaus Götsch, Thomas Koch, Günter Lüning, Michael Schmidt, Heiko Ziggel: A possible evidence for a violation of Heisenberg's position-momentum uncertainty relation], Foundations of Physics Letters, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 71–79, 1989, DOI: 10.1007/BF00690080
- Jens Scheer, Michael Schmidt: Remarks on EPR-related concepts from a realistic point of view, In Alwyn Van der MerweAlwyn Van der MerweAlwyn van der Merwe is an American theoretical physicist. He is currently Emeritus Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Denver....
, Franco SelleriFranco SelleriFranco Selleri is an Italian Theoretical Physicist and professor at Bari University. He received his Ph.D. cum laude from Bologna University in 1958, and has been a fellow of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare since 1959...
, G. Tarozzi (eds.): Microphysical Reality and Quantum Formalism: Proceedings of the Conference, 1988, Kluwer Academic Publishers, ISBN 90-277-2684-1 (vol. 2), p. 253–266
Other:
- Jens Scheer: Gegen die Kopenhagener Deutung der Quantentheorie (“Against the Copenhague interpretation of quantum mechanics”), interview with Jens Scheer by Klaus v. Bloh, held in June/July 1994, Streitbarer Materialismus, no. 20 (in German language)
- Jens Scheer: Lebendige Debatte über tote Katze (“Live debate about dead cat”), Streitbarer Materialismus, no. 20 (in German language)
- Jens Scheer: Radioaktive Niedrigstrahlung (“Low-leel radiation”), Streitbarer Materialismus, no. 16 (in German language)
- Jens Scheer: Kommunismus – Naturalismus – Humanismus (“Communism – Naturalism – Humanism”), Streitbarer Materialismus, no. 14 (in German language)
- Jens Scheer: Niels Bohr vom Kopf auf die Füße stellen (“Putting Niels Bohr from his head back on his feet”), Streitbarer Materialismus, no. 12 (in German language)
- Jens Scheer: Eine tote Katze in Schrödingers Kasten (“A dead cat in Schrödinger's box”), Streitbarer Materialismus, no. 12 (in German language)
External links
- Obituary Jens Scheer, University of Bremen