Describe your favorite academic subject and explain how it has influenced you.
In 1905, a little-known patent clerk in Switzerland by the name of Albert Einstein published a paper on the Special Theory of Relativity. In it he synthesized the results of Classical Mechanics with the fact that the speed of light travels the same regardless of who is measuring it.
The Theory of Relativity is a reconciliation of two apparently conflicting principles of classical mechanics and electromagnetism. Einstein observed that every frame of reference is unique and none is absolute. This discovery teaches us to question our intuitions. Two events which appear to occur simultaneously in one frame of reference might actually occur separately in another.
I love Physics because it teaches us about ourselves as well as the laws that govern the natural world. Physics is more than a science of how things work. It is a theory of knowledge, a natural philosophy. Relativity is just one example. Physics has taught me that just as the Theory of Relativity was born by reconciling two seemingly contradictory theories, human progress is made in unifying and reconciling ostensibly conflicting ideas. This insight has shown me the importance of synthesizing and spreading knowledge rather than only criticizing ideas. Most importantly, it has taught me to be considerate of every person’s uniquely defined frame of reference. While we may perceive events and experiences differently, there are universal human truths, certain laws that apply regardless of who we are. As we reconcile and unify the myriad perspectives of the world, we uncover that which is either unique or surprisingly universal about ourselves as human beings.
Physics presents us with ways to think, ways to reason about the natural world. Whether deriving equations for the moment of inertia or simple harmonic motion, we find invaluable lessons about human thought in Physics. I carry these lessons with me, recognizing that they will make me a more rational and thoughtful person. How to think like a scientist who synthesizes knowledge, who seeks reconciliation over criticism, who treats every perspective with equality: that is what physics really teaches us.