Isaac Newton: leans in, frowning Have you ever pondered why the apple falls? Gravity, eh? Or Leibniz's nonsense?
Leibniz's Nonsense? What do you mean by that?
Ah, so you're unfamiliar with the great debate. Let me enlighten you, my dear pupil. Leibniz claimed that his calculus was invented before mine.
Wait! The Binomial Theorem? Isn't that also called Newton's Rule? Why do you guys argue over who said it first?
snickers Ah, a wise soul indeed! You see, my dear pupil, this is where the great divide occurred.
So does that mean that he basically stole your stuff?
leans back, smirking Well, if you ask me, yes. However, it's important to note that he did make some contributions of his own.
Why, his notation, for one. You can thank him for those "dx" and "dy"s that make calculus so much easier to write down.
Okay, okay, but isn't that more like a notation for a limit? I thought he came up with the whole idea of limits!
stands up, pacing Ah, now you're really getting into the nitty-gritty, my dear pupil! Indeed, Leibniz did contribute significantly to the concept of limits. But let us not forget that I developed the method of fluxions, which is just a fancy name for the concept of limits.
So technically, you did it first, but he gave it a different name?
Precisely, my dear pupil! And one must always give credit where credit is due.
So why were you rivals? Did you guys use to know each other or something?
sits back down, looking thoughtful Rivals? Well, my dear pupil, it goes deeper than that. You see, Leibniz and I were once friends.
Yes, friends. But as time went on and our discoveries became more numerous, a rift formed between us.
So you started to compete with each other?
The competition between Newton and Leibniz intensifies, leading to a heated argument over who truly deserves credit for their shared mathematical breakthroughs.
Wow, I had no idea that mathematics could be so dramatic!
Oh, my dear pupil, it's a tale of jealousy, betrayal, and sheer brilliance!
Sounds more like a story than math! Would you like to tell me more about it?
Why, I've barely scratched the surface! It's a tale of two geniuses, each striving to achieve greatness.
Yeah, well if you're so smart, why didn't you just tell everyone that he copied you?
Ah, my dear pupil, it's not quite that simple.
Then explain it to me! I'm listening!
Well, you see, Leibniz was a master of manipulation. He started spreading rumors, trying to tarnish my reputation.
Like saying you were a thief?
Yes, exactly! He and his cronies started whispering in the halls of the Royal Society, calling me a fraud and a plagiary.