공학소양교육 모델로서의 막스 플랑크

Abstract

This study is an analysis of the life of Max Planck (1858–1947), the in view of engineering literacy education. Some expressions describing Planck include “the father of German science”, “the namer of Quantum”. Furthermore, he is the scientist who permanently engraved his name in a scientific invariant called the Planck Constant. Planck had already made remarkable scientific achievements in his mid-ages, which became the springboard of quantum mechanics, but he went on to achieve much more in his old age. Between 1910s and 1930s, he was the director of the Kaiser–Wilhelm Gesellschaft, the Berlin Academy, and the German Physics Society, which is the German core research group. In the 1910s, he endured the terrible personal suffering of losing his three children and then succeeded in rebuilding German science in the 1920s in his golden age of 70s. His achievement was great not only as a scientist but also as a science administrator. His life was contradictory in several ways. While fundamentally being a conservative, he initiated a great scientific revolution. While making efforts to preserve traditional values, he was in the center of great many upheavals and destruction. While being the incarnation of honesty, he was also given to extremely delicate political positions. In his long career, Planck lived with all his might as a leader of the German science organizations and permanently left his name on the institute representing Germany. Planck succeeded in his work for the institutional development of science, philosophical understanding of science, and as a role model of exemplary scientist. His long life was accompanied by both achievements and failures, intangible and difficult to judge. Today, as research and development management and scientific leadership have become increasingly important, Planck's life may be a good example of engineering literacy education.