The Controversy between the Followers of Newton and Leibniz over Priority in the Invention of Calculus
By: Yuhui Gao
Newton
- He claimed to have begun working on a form of the calculus in 1666
- He didn't do a full publication on calculus until 1704
- He claimed once that he didn't want to publish his work because he wanted to avoid criticism and controversy.
- He compiled the Methodus Fluxionum et Serierum Infinitarum in 1671 in which he defined his Fluxional Calculus.
Summary
For/Against Evidences
- Guillaume de pointed out that in Netwon's Principia published in 1687 was also about calculus conception.
- Methodus Fluxionum was not published until 1736.
- Newton was a well respected scientist so it is hard to believe he was afraid of criticism.
Introduction
- Leibniz did invent Calculus, but it was based on the previous work of Newton's.
- Newton did create the same concept of Calculus.
- Newton's work was geometrical and physics related, whereas Leibniz's work mainly relied on the analysis of the change of graphs.
The calculus controversy was an argument between 17th-century mathematicians Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz over who had first invented the mathematical study of calculus.
Leibniz
- He published his full work on calculus in 1684 which was 9 years before Newton.
- The symbol he invented is still used today.
For/Against Evidences
- Published a description before Newton
- His notation is used today in preference of Newton's
- He had seen Newton's manuscript before his own publication.
- His fundamental concept was different from now.
Conclusion
The invention of Calculus was based on both of the great mathematicians' effort.