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WEIZAC: An Israeli Pioneering Adventure in Electronic Computing (1945–1963) pp 83–94Cite as

Concluding Remarks: WEIZAC as a Zionist Success Story

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Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in History of Science and Technology ((BRIEFSHIST))

Abstract

In this concluding chapter we stress the central factors that contributed to the success of the WEIZAC project and we illuminate the broader context of the role of science and technology as a decisive factor in processes of nation-building, and in particular, the place of science and technology as part of the Zionist project.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    For a more detailed discussion see Corry and Golan (2010), which is the introduction to a special issue of the journal Science in Context, devoted to the history of science in the Israeli context.

  2. 2.

    This episode became known as “The revolt of the physicists”. See Jensen (2011, 195–19), Mardor (1981, 114–117), and the Hebrew version of Cohen (1998, especially 56–68).

  3. 3.

    SCM held on Apr. 11, 1954 (CPA).

  4. 4.

    See e.g., https://www.amazon.com/Stalins-Great-Science-Adventures-Physicists/dp/1860944191.

  5. 5.

    And see also Meiton (2016).

  6. 6.

    Ben Gurion to de Shalit, on Jan 13, 1957 (BGA). In a letter to Dr. Hans Kreitler, the founder of the psychology department at Tel-Aviv University, on 17 February 1963, Ben Gurion returned to this topic and confessed that he cannot stop thinking about “the mystery of human thought” (ISA-PMO-DirectorGeneralPMO-000m9nu).

  7. 7.

    Weisgal, “Report to the Board of Directors of the American Committee and to Committees in Other Countries for the Weizmann Institute for the Period of 1944–1949” (1949) (WIA); Weisgal, “Report by the Chairman of the Executive Council for the Period from November 2, 1949 to Jun. 30, 1952 (draft) 195) (WIA), “Scientific Activity Report” 1953 (WIA).

  8. 8.

    Von Neumann passed away in 1957, while still formally a member of the IAS.

  9. 9.

    A detailed comparison of the role of science and technology in the respective nation-building processes would be well-beyond the scope of the present study. Still, it is worth mentioning here some existing studies that would be relevant to such a discussion. For the case of Ireland, see e.g., Fanning (2008), Fanning (2016), Harte (2007). For the case of India, see e.g., Aloysius (2000), Bassett (2009), Chaube (2012). For the case of Taiwan, see e.g., Chun (1994), Wachman (1994), Wang (2004), Yeh (2014).

  10. 10.

    Another important way to support the state was by settling in Israel for a delimited period of time in connection with a specific professional project, for instance in the educational, medical or academic realm. This was indeed the case of the Estrins, who explicitly defined themselves as non-Zionists. In their own words: “Thelma and I are Jewish but we had never been exposed to Zionist thinking; in fact we held idealistic humanist dreams of “one world” with all nations working together for the good of mankind” (Estrin 1991).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Lester and Sally Entin Faculty of Humanities, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Leo Corry

  2. Cohn Institute for History and Philosophy of Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Raya Leviathan

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  1. Leo Corry
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  2. Raya Leviathan
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Correspondence to Leo Corry .

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Corry, L., Leviathan, R. (2019). Concluding Remarks: WEIZAC as a Zionist Success Story. In: WEIZAC: An Israeli Pioneering Adventure in Electronic Computing (1945–1963). SpringerBriefs in History of Science and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25734-7_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25734-7_4

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