Isaac Newton, perhaps the most influential mathematician and physicist in history, was responsible for inventing the modern math of calculus and universally recognized laws of motion.  Newton made many contributions to mathematics, science, philosophy, astronomy, alchemy, and theology (”Isaac Newton”).

Prematurely born, Newton was not expected to survive.  Born on January 4, 1643, Newton lived to be 84, dying on March 31, 1727.  Hannah Ayscough, Newton’s mother, gave birth to him in the town of Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, England.  Newton’s father, Isaac Newton, died three months prior to his birth (”Newton, Sir Isaac (1642-1727)”; “Isaac Newton”).

Newton’s mother remarried three years after his birth.  After his mother’s remarriage, Newton spent the majority of his childhood with his grandmother, Margery Ayscough.  Under his grandmother’s care, Newton did not apply himself in school and eventually was removed by his mother (”Newton, Sir Isaac (1642-1727)”).

Newton despised his mother’s new husband, Reverend Barnabus Smith.  At the age of ten, Newton’s stepfather died, leaving his mother widowed once again.  After the death of her second husband, Newton’s mother came back with three younger siblings (Hall 232).  Newton’s mother removed him from school, to have him work on the farm.  However, Newton did not do well as a farmer and later attended Cambridge (”Newton, Sir Isaac (1642-1727)”; “Isaac Newton”).

While at Cambridge, Newton became interested in modern philosophers such as Descartes and Galileo.  Newton also developed a theory “that would later become infinitesimal calculus” (”Isaac Newton”).  Five years after enrolling at Cambridge, Newton graduated despite failing at geometry (Hall 232).

Calculus is often credited only to Newton.  However, controversy exists concerning the creation of calculus.  Around the same time, Newton and Gottfried Leibniz created calculus.  Each have their own notes regarding calculus and “most modern historians believe that Newton and Leibniz developed infinitesimal calculus independently” (”Isaac Newton”).  Newton published his work much later than Leibniz, which creates the controversy, even though “Newton is said to have claimed that he had been reluctant to publish his calculus because he feared being mocked for it” (”Isaac Newton”).

Newton and Leibniz created infinitesimal calculus such as additions to the theory of infinite series. Both also contributed to the creation of differential calculus, which includes derivations and differentiation.  While Newton and Leibniz hold the credit for creating infinitesimal calculus, Newton first applied it to physics (”Isaac Newton”; “Differential calculus”).

Newton also made many crucial contributions to the field of physics.  Newton published his three laws of motion in his book Principia. Newton’s three laws of motion reinforced “the idea that all laws describing the universe should be mathematical” (”Newton, Sir Isaac (1642-1727)”).

Isaac Newton influenced many people and studies throughout his life.  Newton’s work, especially Principia, is “considered to be among the most influential books in the history of science” (”Isaac Newton”).  Newton and his work leave many wondering where the world would be without his contributions to mankind.

Works Cited

“Differential calculus.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 6 Oct 2009, 21:03 UTC. 11 Oct 2009 .

Hall, Donald E. “Isaac Newton.” Great Thinkers of the Western World (Edition 1992): 232(5). General OneFile. Gale. Sullivan East High School. 6 Oct. 2009 .

“Isaac Newton.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 5 Oct 2009, 11:01 UTC. 5 Oct 2009 .

“Newton, Sir Isaac (1642-1727).” World of Earth Science. Eds. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2003. 2 pp. 2 vols. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. Sullivan East High School. 6 Oct. 2009 .