Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz (1646-1716), the German philosopher, diplomat, and mathematician, is considered by many to be the founder of calculus. LEE ANN PARADISE Viewpoint: Yes, Leibniz should be considered the founder of calculus because he was the first to publish his work in the field, his notation is essentially that of modern calculus, and his version is that which was most widely disseminated. People have been arguing over this issue for a long time, and we may never be certain who "found" calculus. In any event, don't be surprised if you find it hard to choose a side. Unfortunately, sometimes this can complicate the issue, making the truth even harder to find. Nations, for a variety of political reasons, take great pleasure in recognizing the achievements of their native sons and daughters. The glory of discovery tends to expand over time beyond the actual discoverer. Indeed, much controversy surrounds the application of both Leibniz's and Newton's work.įinally, the importance of political alliances and how they affect public opinion cannot be underestimated in this debate. In mathematics, a problem solved has tremendous merit, but hypotheses also have value. Is the discovery entirely new or is it the expansion of a previously held belief? Part of the recognition process also involves whether the discovery can be proved or whether it is merely an hypothesis. The timing and complexity of the discovery are also important. How does that relationship affect the scientific discovery? First, bear in mind the nature of the student/professor relationship.
When making up your mind on who is the true founder of calculus, there are a variety of issues to consider.
So, how then, without accurate and completely honest disclosure, can one ever hope to credit an idea to a single person? Scientific discovery is often the same way. As time goes by, snapshots will become outdated changes over time naturally occur. Especially in mathematics, concepts often develop over time, like snapshots taken of the interior of a house. What happens when it is unclear who is the mentor and who is the student? Often colleagues inspire each other, and should credit for a discovery be given, at least in part, to both?īesides, when and how an idea is discovered is not always clear. But is "Who published first?" always the fairest way to credit someone with an innovative idea? Isn't it possible that the first person to be published is not necessarily the innovator of the idea? After all, being published not only has to do with submitting work that has merit, but it also with academic connections and public reputation. As is true with many scientific discoveries, the publication process often cements the scientist's place in history. Some fiercely contend that the English scientist Isaac Newton (1643-1727) should be considered the founder, while others are convinced the recognition should belong to Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz (1646-1716), the German philosopher, diplomat, and mathematician. Viewpoint: No, Leibniz should not be considered the founder of calculus because the branch of mathematics we now know by that name was first expressed by Isaac Newton, and only later was it developed by Leibniz.ĭeciding who deserves to be called the founder of calculus is not altogether easy. Viewpoint: Yes, Leibniz should be considered the founder of calculus because he was the first to publish his work in the field, his notation is essentially that of modern calculus, and his version is that which was most widely disseminated. MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE Should Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz be considered the founder of calculus?
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