Posted on 11/23/2005 6:04:12 PM PST by PatrickHenry
Newton, the 17th-century English scientist most famous for describing the laws of gravity and motion, beat Einstein in two polls conducted by eminent London-based scientific academy, the Royal Society.
More than 1,300 members of the public and 345 Royal Society scientists were asked separately which famous scientist made a bigger overall contribution to science, given the state of knowledge during his time, and which made a bigger positive contribution to humankind.
Newton was the winner on all counts, though he beat the German-born Einstein by only 0.2 of a percentage point (50.1 percent to 49.9 percent) in the public poll on who made the bigger contribution to mankind.
The margin was greater among scientists: 60.9 percent for Newton and 39.1 percent for Einstein.
The results were announced ahead of the "Einstein vs. Newton" debate, a public lecture at the Royal Society on Wednesday evening.
"Many people would say that comparing Newton and Einstein is like comparing apples and oranges, but what really matters is that people are appreciating the huge amount that both these physicists achieved, and that their impact on the world stretched far beyond the laboratory and the equation," said Royal Society president Lord Peter May.
Pro-Newton scientists argue he led the transition from an era of superstition and dogma to the modern scientific method.
His greatest work, the "Principia Mathematica", showed that gravity was a universal force that applied to all objects in the universe, finally ruling out the belief that the laws of motion were different for objects on Earth and in the heavens.
Einstein's supporters point out that his celebrated theory of relativity disproved Newton's beliefs on space and time and led to theories about the creation of the universe, black holes and parallel universes.
He also proved mathematically that atoms exist and that light is made of particles called photons, setting the theoretical foundations for nuclear bombs and solar power.
Back when I was a kid they would have selected Professor Irwin Corey.
Heavier things DO fall faster! Just try to drop a feather and a stone - you will see :)
Seriously, just compare how science looked BEFORE Aristotle and AFTER Aristotle. Then look at the science BEFORE Newton and AFTER Newton. Then do the same with Einstein.
Aristotle is the greatest in science, even if Plato is a greater thinker. See my tagline.
Newton was profondly, deeply, even zealously religious.
More recently, Kurt Godel, one of the greatest logicians of all time, was also a religious believer.
The notion that religious belief necessarily cramps the intellect, that atheism is essential to thinking clearly and accurately, is a modern superstition and conceit.
Yes, I agree.
Einstein thought Newton was pretty good too.
Much of what Einstein worked on was being discussed by many physicists of the day. I give Einstein full credit for making the leap concerning light, time, and space but there were many people discussing and debating these ideas.
Newton, on the other hand, was working on ideas in secret. He wasn't collaborating with other scientists and debating "what ifs"; he came up with revolutionary ideas, as far as we know, completely on his own.
I think the difference in perception between the two is that Einsteins ideas have a "cool" factor. Warped space-time, gravity "waves", "packets" of light... weird and wild stuff.
He took it from Lukanus.
Leibniz invented calculus. Here is another hotly debated issue. LOL!
http://www.andrews.edu/~calkins/math/biograph/bioleib.htm
Sure as heck did. Newton and Liebniz both invented calculus independently. Modern notation is more like Liebniz. Newton was the first to apply calc to physics.
I don't see how it's arguable. Newton formulated the law of gravity, he perfected the laws of motion, and he invented calculus. Einstein was great, but not as key as was Newton.
Obviously Newton, with out him we wouldn't have gravity.
See post #46. It is a hotly debated issue as well.
It is still there, being used 99.9% of time.
Newton was doing what we call differentiation and integrals in 1666 at the age of 24.
Newtonian physics: 99.9% of the time. What is the other 0.1%?
Pro-Newton scientists argue he led the transition from an era of superstition and dogma to the modern scientific method.
This gets my vote. As I write, this battle is still being waged.
Einstein is like a fine wine that needs to be aged before the full impact of his ideas can be appreciated.
I wonder how long it took for Newton's equations to filter down to real-world discoveries & inventions in a big way? I wonder how long it'll take for the full effects of Einstein's theories to work themselves out in the world?
"My understanding of that quote is that he was directing it to to someone else (rather than referring to himself) and that he was not speaking in a flattering tone."
As I recall he used it as an insult towards Liebniz.
Heck, the full implications of Darwin's theories haven't finished influencing science either.
I thought Liebnitz did that? Never heard Newton's name mentioned the entire time I was in grad school (in math).
http://www.andrews.edu/~calkins/math/biograph/bioleib.htm
Nooooooooooooooooo!!!!! *repels crevo infiltration*
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