<p>There's room for a difference of opinion, Josh. You have to admit that the fact he got is Nobel for explaining a basic quantum effect is slightly ironic. :D</p>
<p>Newton. He formed the basis for early physical research. Latter scientists, such as Einstein, consulted Newton's research.</p>
<p>Furthermore, Newton like invented calculus. That is so awesome.</p>
<p>Einstein's main contribution are special and general relativity. General relativity and quantum mechanics are incompatible, even though Einstein also helped to develope quantum mechanics.</p>
<p>more debate supporting newton</p>
<p>Opinion changed. Newton definitely gets props for inventing calc.</p>
<p>both of them suck b/c they make me study physics. Can't we just live happily?</p>
<p>I fully understand EInstein's opposition to quantum mechanics, and his tendency to advocate for determinism. I remember reading Einstein's famous quote, "God does not play with die."; I also remember reading somewhere that after seeing John von Neumann's mathematical proof of quantum mechanics, Einstein conceded a little bit. I cannot find the article on wikipedia... I might have been arguing with someone about Einstein, and so I might have argued a certain position that Einstein had to accept the theory in some way after seeing its validity... So I either read this somewhere or this is a concoction of my own mind.. pardon if I am wrong. Nevertheless, I maintain that Einstein was a better physicist, while Newton still wins my dear respect.</p>
<p>It's obviously Einstein who is greater. Some may say Newton had to invent mathematics to make his ideas work, but the level of mathematics needed to solve Einstein's equations are way beyond anything Newton could think of. And Einstein's work is much more creative than Newton's for sure. Plus, the wide array of fields that Einstein contributed to so greatly cannot be understated. It's not that Newton is bad. He pioneered into more fields than Einstein, but it's just that he was the first guy to say, "There's got be more than just God doing whatever he wants," and that's not a good justification to give him a better-than-Einstein award.</p>
<p>FAKEOUT</p>
<p>this is stupid</p>
<p>did einstein build the atomic bomb? or did he decline the offer?</p>
<p>"the level of mathematics needed to solve Einstein's equations are way beyond anything Newton could think of."</p>
<p>Perhaps, that is because Newton had much less to work with. Einstein was able to use the mathematics of Cauchy, Riemann, Gauss, Euler, etc.</p>
<p>In any case, both men made great contribuations to physics. They worked with different tools in different times; as Goshamoossy originally stated, this is tantamount to comparing apples and oranges.</p>
<p>newton is #1 in my book.. w/out him, einstein wouldnt have any base to build upon.</p>
<p>"the level of mathematics needed to solve Einstein's equations are way beyond anything Newton could think of."</p>
<p>Yes and no. You can derive e=mc2 from the Lorenz-Fitzgerald equations using nothing more than high school algebra.</p>
<p>Einstein. Because he had better hair.</p>
<p>Newton was super smart. Practically a super genius.</p>
<p>Einstein on the other hand, was a semi-super genius.</p>
<p>Wow, this is very descriptive! lol. ;)</p>
<p>Anyway, Newton is better. (BTW-Isn't this thread a big waste of time? I should go do some physics homework or something... o wait, physics is over, we already did the AP test...)</p>
<p>"Yes and no. You can derive e=mc2 from the Lorenz-Fitzgerald equations using nothing more than high school algebra."</p>
<p>I believe fakeout was referring to General Relativity, which does indeed involve math far more complicated than that which Newton had access to.</p>
<p>"did einstein build the atomic bomb? or did he decline the offer?"</p>
<p>Einstein sent a letter warning the U.S. government of the possibility of the Germans creating an atomic bomb first, and urging research into the potential for such a weapon. However, he was never officially a part of the Manhattan Project, and condemned the use of the bombs in Japan (he was a strict pacifist).</p>
<p>I am a huge fan of Here David Gross , John Archibal Wheeler, and Richard Feynman, without the Feynman system of diagrams QED would be no where close to where it is now.</p>
<p>As for my opinion, I don't believe that the two can be fairly compared. Newton lived hundreds of years before Einstein, during a time of relatively simplistic (by modern standards) mathematics and rather unscientific worldviews. He had to create a new branch of mathematics to describe his new physics, and both of these have been extremely influential. There is obviously no doubt that Newton was a visionary and a genius.</p>
<p>Einstein lived during a time of more advanced mathematics, and had something on which to base his inquiries into the nature of reality (Newton's work, etc), but his observations about the universe were certainly more abstract and complicated than those of Newton. However, he didn't have to overcome the weight of 1600 years of almost purely religious teachings, as did Newton, who was really the first to do any significant work in his field.</p>
<p>I vote for both, if possible, but Einstein if I must choose one, as I believe that his insights required more creativity and genius.</p>
<p>could u guys put some web sites that you used to provide info here</p>
<p>joshjmgs, what is the name of the french guy ??</p>
<p>"To clairfy, Einstein was not "against" quantum mechanics. He simply would not accept the theory fully. After two years of bickering between physicists, Einstein accepted the theory. After someone with a French name mathematically proved quantum mechanics, how could Einstein still repudiate such a theory?"</p>