ONLY “OBJECTIVE EVENTS”

During his meeting with Bergson, Einstein defended his definition of time as having a clear “objective
meaning” in contrast to other definitions. “There are objective events that are independent of
individuals,” he insisted that day, implying that his notion of time was one of them.29 His theory was
not just a fruitful hypothesis or one convenient explanation that could be chosen out of many. “One
can always choose the representation one wants if one believes that it is more comfortable to do so
than another one for the task at hand, but that does not have any objective sense,” he insisted.30
The astronomer Charles Nordmann, who followed Einstein’s visit closely, explained the physicist’s
intentions. “If there is in fact an opinion against which Einstein fought vigorously and notably, one
can remember, right after the debates at the Collège de France, it is one that gave his theory only a
formal or mathematical importance,” he recounted.31

“All went brilliantly well,” wrote Einstein to his wife that evening. Einstein eagerly prepared his trip
back home, holding a “not-empty leather bag” filled with money given to him by the Baron de
Rothschild. Back in Germany, inflation was out of control. After “the last discussion” ended, he felt
good about his performance and proud to have served his country’s interest. “If the Germans only
knew what services I performed for them here by this visit,” they would clearly thank him, he told
her. “But they are too small-minded to grasp it,” he concluded.32

The debate between the two men escalated quickly. After their first meeting, Bergson and Einstein
were scheduled to meet again in a few months, this time, for an entirely different purpose. Bergson
was president of the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation, one of the most
prestigious branches of the League of Nations. Einstein was one of its members.