Most modern historians believe that Calculus was jointly developed by Isaac Newton and his friend cum associate Leibniz. Both incorporated new visualizations to the calculus. According to the close friends of Newton he had developed Calculus a good time before revealing it.
Till 1693 he kept a lid on his research and findings and offered no explanations or clarifications till 1704. Meanwhile, his friend Leibniz had got his calculation method published in 1684 itself. His research was greatly appreciated. Entire continent adopted his Differential Method.
In this situation it can be claimed that Leibniz had completed the task independently. But after 1820 the British administration learnt that infact the research of Calculus was finalised by Newton and had given it the finished form. In this context Isaac Newton had already clarified that he could not publish his Calculus because he had fears that making such claim could bring him infamy and rejection.
In this context a sensational story came to light in a later year. According to it Newton had developed intimate relationship with Swedish mathematician Nicholas-Fetio-De-Dudellier. The latter had got drawn to Newton who had established the Law of Gravity. It was a fact that the Swede was a very pretty young man. In 1691 Nicholas had worked for the New edition project of Newton’s book Philosophia Naturalis Principia Mathematica. That project could not be executed.
Some biographers of Newton’s life allude that Newton and Nicholas were lovers. Then, something happened that broke their relationship in 1694. Meanwhile, Newton and Leibniz had come together, how close no one really knows. But some historians believe that Nicolas feeling spurned, gave Leibniz the important research notes of Newton as a revenge act. Thus, Leibniz presented Newton’s research work as his own and got it published.
In the early 1699 months the members of the Royal Society of London (when Newton was also member of it) held Leibniz responsible for stealing research papers of Newton. The controversy raged in 1711 and Royal Society accused Leibniz of dastardly act of publishing entire stolen research work of Newton on Calculus in his own name. A probe brought out the fact that the research on Calculus was done solely by Newton. Newton himself levelled charges of deceit and treachery on Leibniz. Thus arose Newton-Leibniz controversy which cast a slur on the names of both the scientists. Till the death of Leibniz in 1716 this unsavoury episode kept erupting every now and then. Then, the mathematical excellence and knowledge proved it beyond doubt Calculus indeed was the product of Newton’s inventive mind. His immense talent can be assessed by his following works:
- Isaac Newton simplified Binomial Theorem through Generalized Binomial Theorem.
- He developed Polynomials of Degree Three in Two Variables and it was recognized and accepted as Newton’s Method.
- Newton also created significant principles on Finite Differences. He incorporated Fractional Indices in the Coordinate Geometry to simplify ‘Definite Equations’.
- Newton provided the meaningful answers to the questions relating to Minor Calculus.
- Newton first of all used Power Series and then defined them in reverse order as well.
- Newton defined a new theory of ‘Pi’.
The above works of Isaac Newton left no doubt in any mind that Calculus was his discovery basically. It is a significant point to note that Leibniz had no other work than Calculus to lay his claim on to prove that he had a mind mathematically talented enough to workout new theories or equations.
