The Breakdown
Talk about a clash of titans. Einstein’s name may be synonymous with “genius,” but Newton’s resume is just as incredible. In his 84 years the man managed to develop calculus, confirm the existence of gravity, build the first practical reflecting telescope, formulate the principle of conservation of momentum and the three laws of motion, and discover the composition of white light. Before his death he even managed to bring out new editions of work that had been translated into Latin.
Einstein, to his credit, explained the photoelectric effect and Brownian motion, formulated special and general theories of relativity, and made a whole slew of other scientific breakthroughs. We’re all lucky that both of these geniuses shared their knowledge with the world, but are you going to take, the kingpin of the Scientific Revolution or the revolutionary scientist whose face is often on our cover?
[poll=67]
[See the whole bracket here.]
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Real tough. I had to go with Newton, though.
posted by Andy on 4-6-2009 at 12:17 am
I went with Einstein. Newton, from what I’ve read, wasn’t a very pleasant person IRL, and I hear there’s controversy over just how much of his accomplishments were his own.
posted by Random on 4-6-2009 at 12:35 am
Wow! I’m expecting this, ironically, I don’t know who to choose…
posted by CurlsRulz on 4-6-2009 at 12:36 am
Perhaps the toughest contest yet. While Einstein’s name is synonymous with genius, Newton’s list of achievements are beyond compare. Both Einstein and Newton forced man to fundamentally change the way we look at the world, both from a scientific and philosophical way. However, considering the background in which Newton worked (when science was much less sophisticated discipline), makes, I think, his breakthroughs all the more remarkable.
posted by Elias on 4-6-2009 at 12:57 am
Newton by a country mile.
Einstein had a miracle year, but Newton was cutting edge virtually his entire life. Newton broke ground in a variety of sciences and even invented some major branches. Newton was nearly alone in his genius where Einstein was only a few steps ahead of his peers.
Some of Newtons theories about light were thought ridiculous for centuries until he was proven right in Einstein’s day.
Newton is simply the most amazing scientific mind to have ever lived – And that is not taking away from any other scientist out there. Sir Issac is just that good.
posted by n2y2 on 4-6-2009 at 2:50 pm
Random-
Yes, Issac Newton did not have the most sparkling personality, but you will find that Einstein was similarly afflicted when you peer beneath the surface of his public facade.
Einstein’s whimsical-and-playful-uncle persona was part of PR campaign that had cold war implications. IRL, he was much more snippy and aloof.
Check out what Einstein said about his wife (and it wasn’t tongue-in-cheek), “I regard my wife as a servant I cannot fire…â€
But that is all irrelevant. I thought this was a tournament of genius, not a Miss Congeniality contest.
posted by n2y2 on 4-6-2009 at 3:05 pm
newton should have won.
without him, there wouldn’t have been an einstein.
posted by em on 4-7-2009 at 3:50 am