Newton & Leibniz Controversy

 Born: 4 January 1643 in Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, England  School: Kings School, Grantham  University: Trinity College Cambridge (Graduated 1665)  Other Bouts: vs Robert Hooke (Gravitation)  Famous Theories: 3 Laws of Motion Binomial Theorem Universal Gravitation  Other: Suffered from Asperger’s Syndrome* * As argued by Simon Baron Cohen (References)

Born: 1 July 1646, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany Education: University of Leipzig (Graduated 1662) Philosophy Law Achievements: Invented first mass produced Calculator Admitted as foreign honorary member of French Academy of Sciences. Refined Binary Code System.

Whether Leibniz had discovered Calculus independently of Newton, or had invented another notation for it.

1666 – Newton first refers to differential form (Although didn’t publish an account of his notation until 1693) 1675 – Newton manuscript of theories sent to Tschirnhaus. (At a time when Tschirnhaus and Leibniz were known to be collaborating.) Earliest use of Leibniz’s use of differentials Leibniz admitted to having seen some of Newton’s letters, but denied their value with regards to Calculus – Guillaume de L’Hopital publishes book on Calculus from Leibniz point of view, although acknowledges Newton’s work of 1680s 1704 – Anonymous Review implies Newton had borrowed ideas of Calculus from Leibniz 1712 – Newton publishes a paper ‘anonymously’ referencing argument that all Leibniz’s ideas of Calculus were derived from Newton

Why was the dispute considered important? What effect could the controversy have on each individuals legacy? What lessons were to be learned from the controversy? Why is History in Mathematics relevant?