Who was a greater genius?

[Wahsapa]

newton was a crazy white man nutjob, if he didnt come up with calc somebody else would have.

 

[CrazyHelloDeli]

Originally posted by: So

Originally posted by: brunswickite

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Einstein or Newton. The other two are laughable.

Einstein or Newton. The other idiots did nothing to further our understanding of the universe.

Two sad statements.

yes very sad.

:thumbsdown: for dimbulbs.

Newton and Einstein's theories had a far more sweeping effects on how humanity functions and lives today, than anything Beethoven and Shakespeare accomplished. While their works have affected humanity in more ethereal ways, in no way is it anything close to the sweeping and tangible benifits brought by Newtons and Einstiens works.

I admit, calling them idiots was a little harsh. Just a poll compairing scientific genius and artistic genius irritated me.

 

[DWW]

Newton >>>>>>> Einstein >>> *

 

[wkabel23]

Brunelleschi

 

[gururu]

painting and sculpture actually requires tremendous understanding and knowledge of biology and physics. artists and inventors were the first to study these things and paved the way for people like Newton. Michaelangelo and Da Vinci were gifted geniuses with impact. Newton may have just been a really analytical thinker. The kind of scientist that we get for a dime-a-dozen nowadays. Even the physics fields are saturated in Einstein-types. But Da Vincis and Michaelangelos are still to this day rare, because that sort of talent is innate, not learned.

 

[DWW]

Originally posted by: DingDingDao

Originally posted by: ThePresence
Greater genius != Bigger impact on history

Agreed. Some of the most brilliant minds in history had little effect on the general course of history.(example: Stephen Hawking. While his theories are revolutionary, they have little effect on the everyday life of the average person)

Similarly, some of the most idiotic (and yet very charismatic) people in history have had a decidedly greater impact on history.
(example: Adolf Hitler. He was obviously misguided and probably not the smartest person, but his actions led to the greatest war of the twentieth century)

EDIT: Just read it again--by "greatest" I don't mean awesome.

Well... I wouldn't categorize Hitler as idiotic. He was quite smart regardless if you agree with him.

 

[Chu]

Originally posted by: Wahsapa
newton was a crazy white man nutjob, if he didnt come up with calc somebody else would have.

You can say this about almost any scientific figure, so I guess Einstein is also out of the picture. Who did you vote for?

 

[DT4K]

Originally posted by: Wahsapa
newton was a crazy white man nutjob, if he didnt come up with calc somebody else would have.

Put the bottle down buddy.

 

[dragonballgtz]

Newton------------------ Beethoven (come on this guy could barley hear his own music)---- Einstein-----???

 

[chrisms]

Originally posted by: DWW

Originally posted by: DingDingDao

Originally posted by: ThePresence
Greater genius != Bigger impact on history

Agreed. Some of the most brilliant minds in history had little effect on the general course of history.(example: Stephen Hawking. While his theories are revolutionary, they have little effect on the everyday life of the average person)

Similarly, some of the most idiotic (and yet very charismatic) people in history have had a decidedly greater impact on history.
(example: Adolf Hitler. He was obviously misguided and probably not the smartest person, but his actions led to the greatest war of the twentieth century)

EDIT: Just read it again--by "greatest" I don't mean awesome.

Well... I wouldn't categorize Hitler as idiotic. He was quite smart regardless if you agree with him.

I agree.. I don't think you can call a man who was nearing world domination, especially in the 20th century, idiotic. He could be up there with Einstein and Beethoven, he was a political genius.

 

[Wahsapa]

Originally posted by: Chu

Originally posted by: Wahsapa
newton was a crazy white man nutjob, if he didnt come up with calc somebody else would have.

You can say this about almost any scientific figure, so I guess Einstein is also out of the picture. Who did you vote for?

http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/08/08/2156227&tid=134&tid=14
einstein wasnt that crazy

 

[breakit23]

Indeed someone else did think up calc at about the same time.


Also Einstein's greatest work continually goes unnoticed.
And if more of you understood the general theory of relativity and how Einstein basically thought it up in his head you would see how many revolutionary predictions it made.

 

[dababus]

Originally posted by: StinkyPinky
Newton. He was the co-inventor of calculus (along with some German guy) and he of course was a master of physics. A lot of his theories are still used today 350 years later.

along with other german guy: Leibinz

 

[0roo0roo]

this months discover magazine is a full issue on einstein

 

[moks78]

Einstein...

 

[DingDingDao]

Originally posted by: chrisms

Originally posted by: DWW

Originally posted by: DingDingDao

Originally posted by: ThePresence
Greater genius != Bigger impact on history

Agreed. Some of the most brilliant minds in history had little effect on the general course of history.(example: Stephen Hawking. While his theories are revolutionary, they have little effect on the everyday life of the average person)

Similarly, some of the most idiotic (and yet very charismatic) people in history have had a decidedly greater impact on history.
(example: Adolf Hitler. He was obviously misguided and probably not the smartest person, but his actions led to the greatest war of the twentieth century)

EDIT: Just read it again--by "greatest" I don't mean awesome.

Well... I wouldn't categorize Hitler as idiotic. He was quite smart regardless if you agree with him.

I agree.. I don't think you can call a man who was nearing world domination, especially in the 20th century, idiotic. He could be up there with Einstein and Beethoven, he was a political genius.

You guys are right. I wouldn't classify him as a genius, either, though. Charismatic, yes. Intelligent, yes. Genius? I don't know.

 

[Hankysmoo]

Newton's greatest accomplishment in life was dying a virgin. With that in mind, Einstein takes the cake.

 

[faenix]

Da Vinci was a true genius. There's a reason why he was called the Renaiisance man.

 

[BeauJangles]

Originally posted by: dababus

Originally posted by: StinkyPinky
Newton. He was the co-inventor of calculus (along with some German guy) and he of course was a master of physics. A lot of his theories are still used today 350 years later.

along with other german guy: Leibinz

Not really. They actually both developed calculus at the same time. There is no evidence they had any contact of any sort.

That being said, Newton was brilliant. There is no comparison.

 

[DaiShan]

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Einstein or Newton. The other two are laughable.

Einstein or Newton. The other idiots did nothing to further our understanding of the universe.

Two sad statements.

Aye. What is the point in having knowledge of the universe if we cannot enjoy it?

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: Hankysmoo
Newton's greatest accomplishment in life was dying a virgin. With that in mind, Einstein takes the cake.

Glad someone finally brought this up. I mean really, how much of a genious can you be and not want to ever get laid, ever?

 

[UglyCasanova]

Another thread about it

 

[Peetoeng]

Originally posted by: dababus

Originally posted by: StinkyPinky
Newton. He was the co-inventor of calculus (along with some German guy) and he of course was a master of physics. A lot of his theories are still used today 350 years later.

along with other german guy: Leibinz

It's Leibnitz!

But Newton did more than just calculus.

My vote would be Newton and Einstein.

People can relate Einstein's relativity to nukes, but it's difficult to people to relate Heissenberg's uncertainty to something easily undestandable.

 

[DrPizza]

Here..... Not really an official site, but at least it confirms what I said above... Da Vinci was the greatest genius.

Estimated IQ's of famous people

Einstein's estimated IQ is 160...
Da Vinci's is 220

Newton comes in at 190, but the cofounder of calculus, (and responsible for the symbols we use in much of calculus, especially writing the derivative as dy/dx) Leibnitz comes in at 205.

Michelangelo 180

and Ludwig comes in at 165



I'm a little skeptical of how high the IQ's are on that page... it seems statistically to be too many people that many standard deviations above normal... (standard deviation is around 15% IIRC)

 

[jagec]

Remember that IQs are standardized around 100. Which means that even if the "average" person is smarter now than they were 100 years ago, their IQ scores would be the same.