Newton
“It is less well known, however, that in the immense sweep of his vast achievements he virtually created modern science, and in consequence has had a deeper influence on the direction of civilized life and the fall of nations.”
Can anyone see him as a regular guy? I mean, even though he’s strange and discovered gravity you could still tone down the fame stuff...
So Leibniz and Newton both invented calculus?
Hey teacher aren’t you proud of me? I got here early. What’s Cal-cu-lus? WIN.
“He published some of his discoveries, but they were greeted with such contentious stupidity by the leading scientists of the day that he retired back into his shell with strengthened resolve to work thereafter for his satisfaction alone.”
Hey if they had maybe accepted his ideas they would have made history books. Oh well. Too bad. HAHA
“Twenty years later he unburdened himself to Leibniz in the following words: “As for the phenomena of colors...I conceive myself to have discovered the surest explanation, but I refrain from publishing books for fear disputes and controversies may be raised against me by ignoramuses.””
That’s sad. People are such jerks sometimes. That a scientific idea would better us and be rejected just makes me angry.
“It is interesting to speculate on Halley’s emotions when he realized the age-old problem of how the solar system works had at last been solved - but the solver hadn’t bothered to tell anybody and had even lost his notes.”
Oh, I bet he was dumbfounded.
“Newton promised to write out the theorems and proofs again and send them to Halley, which he did.”
I thought Halley had to drag them out of him.
I guess Newton was on again off again with science.
“Even Leibniz’s death could not allay Newton’s wrath and he continued to pursue the enemy beyond the grave.”
That’s some grudge.
If Newton and Leibniz both invented calculus when they did were they both the same? Both ideas occurring equally in gifted minds?
