Who Is Considered the Greatest Physicist of All Time?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the question of who is considered the greatest physicist of all time, exploring various opinions and criteria for greatness. Participants express their views on historical figures in physics, including Newton, Einstein, Galileo, and others, while considering the implications of their contributions to the field.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Historical

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants argue for Newton as the greatest physicist due to his foundational contributions, while others emphasize Einstein's revolutionary thinking and creativity.
  • One participant suggests Archimedes as a contender, highlighting his significance in the history of physics.
  • Another participant expresses a view that Newton's work is more mathematical than physical, arguing that his theories are limited to practical applications rather than theoretical foundations.
  • Some participants challenge the notion of ranking physicists, suggesting that physics is too diverse to choose a single greatest figure.
  • Galileo is mentioned as a significant figure who faced considerable opposition, with one participant noting his contributions despite the challenges of his time.
  • There are discussions about the contributions of other physicists like Bardeen, Heisenberg, and ancient scientists like Aristotle, with some participants questioning their absence from the poll.
  • Several participants express the idea that public interest in science could influence perceptions of greatness, mentioning figures like Stephen Hawking.
  • One participant critiques the poll's construction, suggesting that it reflects popular beliefs rather than a comprehensive understanding of physicists' contributions.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on who the greatest physicist is, with multiple competing views and criteria for greatness remaining throughout the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Participants express various assumptions about the nature of physics, the role of theoretical versus experimental contributions, and the historical context of scientific developments. There is also a recognition of the limitations of the poll in capturing the full scope of contributions from various physicists.

Who was the greatest physicist?

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Who do you think was/is the greatest physicist who ever lived and why?
In my opinion #1 has to go to Newton, with Einstein and Feynman coming joint second. Newton started it all off, while Einstein and Feynman created a public face for science.
If the physicist you want is not in the poll, then say who it is and why in a post.
 
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Hmm..I'm not much in favour of rankings like this, but if I must choose, I'd say Archimedes.
 
I think Newton is the 'nerdiest' you can go for a physicist. One man show, let's invent the math when it doesn't exist just can't be beat in my opinion.
 
mezarashi said:
I think Newton is the 'nerdiest' you can go for a physicist. One man show, let's invent the math when it doesn't exist just can't be beat in my opinion.

Exactly, this is why it is very hard to see past Newton as the greatest physicist ever.
 
Newton is no physicist, he is more a mathematican. whatever he proved of physics has been of significance only to the Earth's atmosphere, to this surrounding. and never proved anyhting that accounts to the true property of matter. but his mathematical theories sounds quite universal. his theories of motion are all based on practical materials and not on thoerotical basis so he only proved right what occurs in our surrounding and not beyond it. physics is more a theorotical science, isn't it? i account einstein's theorotical expanadings should be given some credit. he is the best. :approve:
 
debeng said:
physics is more a theorotical science, isn't it? :

NO! A gazillion experimental physicists disagree with you and quite a few theorists too. Including Einstein himself.
 
i never said it is not a practical one?

inha said:
NO! A gazillion experimental physicists disagree with you and quite a few theorists too. Including Einstein himself.

i apologize for the direct way of saying it. but yet everything has a philosophical approach, and i believe exploring physics has its too. i think mathemtics is just another side of language. we have created mathematics the same way we have created language. they are the means we explore everything in science and our minds. but we never create physics for it exist on its own.
 
I used to think Newton, but I've changed my mind since I learned a bit about Galileo. I think Galileo was up against a world where there were more outrageously erroneous notions firmly in place than there have ever been since. It's amazing how much he did discover given that most of his energy had to be diverted to tedious arguments about extremely fundamental, obvious points, like the rate of fall of objects of dissimilar weight.
 
... one hybrid of Newton & Einstein with a shake of Galileo please.
 
  • #10
einstein was so revolutionary in his way of thinking. people still do not really understand the observations of that man. Newton was a simple physicist, with great ingenuity, but not so much creative thought as einstein, it appears.

it is very difficult for me to think of Newton as a genius... more of a technician.

einstein on the other hand, was creative genius... absolutely unequaled by Newton.

then again, einstein couldn't have done it without Newton, so it's fair that Newton takes the cake, and that einstein "follow in his steps" so to speak.
 
  • #11
PerennialII said:
... one hybrid of Newton & Einstein with a shake of Galileo please.
An omniscient being...
 
  • #12
I think physics itself is too diverse in its subjects to choose a single 'greatest' physicist. Having said that, i'll try to answer it, but in a more specific way.
Experimental physics: Bardeen
Theoretical: Einstein
General: Newton
 
  • #13
... think Einstein could have taken a lesson from Newton about methods of working (a snip of Newton's "somewhat" bizarre work ethics ... or mania is probably a better word).
 
  • #14
Bohr, Dirac or Planck... In short, the QM-buddies

QM is far more usefull to us (and far more beautiful and elegant a theory than GR ever will be). After QM, classical physics comes second on the list of important, ingenious and usefull physics and GR closes the list.

regards
marlon

EDIT : the only thing Einstein ever did was formulating the equivalence principle, that is all.
 
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  • #15
Bladibla said:
Experimental physics: Bardeen

Huh :confused:

How's that ?

regards
marlon
 
  • #16
Einstein! I just feel more comfortable with him than the others! :biggrin:
 
  • #17
What about Santa Claus? He modified GR to accommodate for FTL travel. Einstein never thought of that!

:wink:
 
  • #18
Lisa! said:
Einstein! I just feel more comfortable with him than the others! :biggrin:

I checked the poll and yes, you actually voted for Einstein. Can you please tell me why ?

marlon
 
  • #19
i would have to say, that if god exists then he would have to be the greatest physicist of all time.
:smile:
 
  • #20
why is Heisenberg not on the list and we also cannot ignore ancient scientists like Aristotle whose theories remained supreme for thousands of yrs
 
  • #21
desiguy8179 said:
why is Heisenberg not on the list and we also cannot ignore ancient scientists like Aristotle whose theories remained supreme for thousands of yrs
yeah those theories were wrong longer than any others
 
  • #22
tribdog said:
yeah those theories were wrong longer than any others
I call him "The Father of all Crackpots".
 
  • #23
how do i change my vote to galileo? he (& descartes & kepler i think) was was of the people who started the 'mathematicization' science, which imo was/is the most important development in the history of science.
 
  • #24
desiguy8179 said:
why is Heisenberg not on the list and we also cannot ignore ancient scientists like Aristotle whose theories remained supreme for thousands of yrs

INDEED:approve:

Or what about Aristarchus, the real and only founder of "heliocentrism".

You know, this is what happens with polls that have only been constructed based upon "popular beliefs". "Everybody" asses Einstein to be the greatest scientist of all time, but 95% of these voters do not even know why. They do not know the work of Heisenberg, Bohr, Planck, Dirac, Bardeen, ...Hell, they do not even know what Einsteins work really is about or what PART of Special/General Relativity actually comes from Einstein HIMSELF!

marlon
 
  • #25
I miss Schwinger and Weinberg...
 
  • #26
EL said:
I miss Schwinger and Weinberg...
:approve:
Spoken like a true QFT guy...

Let's add Yang and Mills, t' Hooft and Veltman, the asmptotic freedom trio, Dyson, ...

I always wonder why Feynman is mentioned in the poll but not the other scientists he won the Nobel Prize with. He did not do all of the work himself, you know.

marlon
 
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  • #27
marlon said:
I always wonder why Feynman is mentioned in the poll but not the other scientists he won the Nibel Prize with. He did not do all of the work himself, you know.
marlon

Exactly. But indeed he brought much physics to the public. Anyway, I don't know if that really makes him a better physicist than the others...
 
  • #28
marlon isn't going to be happy with anybody's choice until he see's his own name up there.
 
  • #29
if public interest in science is a criterea,Steven hawking should be mentioned.
Hon. mentions also include ed witten,brian green...may be these string guys will dislodge einstein and Newton if string theory is ever proven to be credible
 
  • #30
if those are the criteria throw up Greg Bernhardt
 

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