Einstein's Wife The Controversy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Einstein's Wife The Controversy - Essay Example This article will examine all the evidence about this allegation and concludes that the theory that Mileva was Einsteins equal partner are, most likely, patently false, as they rely upon erroneous and incomplete information. The scholarly theory is that Mileva was Einsteins hidden collaborator on his theories. The question would become why did not get the credit that she deserved, is this is true? Rossiter (1993) might provide the answer. She writes of the â€Å"Matthew Effect,† so named for a passage in Matthew in The Bible which states that individuals may be under-recognized for their achievements. In the case of science, according to Rossiter, it is a matter of politics whether certain scientists, such as Albert Einstein, get international recognition over other scientists, such as Marian Smoluchowski, who was working on Brownian motion at the same time as Einstein. The Matthew Effect states that politics is the reason why some scientists get recognition over other scientists – these scientists have prestigious posts at universities and acolytes who are willing to extol their virtues to the public. The other scientists, who might be doing just as important work, have less prestigious p osts and fewer cheerleaders for them. Because of this, these scientists struggle for recognition, even though their work may be just as important, while other scientists get all the recognition.1 Rossiter suggests that this effect particularly effects women in the field. This marginalization of women has extended to the cases of women who were married to important scientists and have not gotten recognition for their work, as the recognition has completely gone to their husbands. It is in this category, suggests Rossiter, that the case of Mileva Maric might fall.2 Troemel-Ploetz (1990) also points to the insidious practice of not according