vicwatson wrote: » Einstein, close thread
TSMGUY wrote: » The greatest writer of all time or the greatest physicist? Who impacted society more?
The Specialist wrote: » Einstein, no question about it. They are not even in the same league when it comes to the scale of their contributions.
TSMGUY wrote: » So a great writer can never compare to a great scientist?
Samaris wrote: » ...... I guess the point is that it's all relative. (sorry).
Samaris wrote: » The two things aren't entirely related. In terms of direct impact on day to day lives, Shakespeare. He's part of our culture. But was he really even "the greatest writer who ever lived", or was he a good playwright who, through a combination of luck (that his works happened to survive, compared to many other contemporary or earlier writers) and popularity stayed with us to the present day? Einstein had the more original and inventive mind, but his works are more esoteric and far fewer people can understand them compared to Shakespeare. So less impact on popular culture. I don't understand his stuff either, by the way! I'm going on all the people who apparently do understand it and seem to think it was pretty incredible :PI guess the point is that it's all relative. (sorry).
Timberrrrrrrr wrote: » Shakespear wrote stories Einstein invented things that changed the world
Jawgap wrote: » "It's all relative" Albert Einstein, 1905
Dave0301 wrote: » You're comparing apples and oranges. For what it is worth though, it is Einstein. The man was hundreds of years ahead of his colleagues and his work on Special and General Relativity advanced our understanding of the universe, not to mention allow us to have GPS.
jimmy blevins wrote: » Shakespeare is still at the top of his field, while some of Einstein's theories have been subsequently discredited. Particularly in quantum mechanics where Niels Bohr kicked his arse.
Jawgap wrote: » Anyway, Francis Bacon is the real Shakespearean genius; )
Samaris wrote: » The two things aren't entirely related. In terms of direct impact on day to day lives, Shakespeare. He's part of our culture. But was he really even "the greatest writer who ever lived", or was he a good playwright who, through a combination of luck (that his works happened to survive, compared to many other contemporary or earlier writers) and popularity stayed with us to the present day?Einstein had the more original and inventive mind, but his works are more esoteric and far fewer people can understand them compared to Shakespeare. So less impact on popular culture. I don't understand his stuff either, by the way! I'm going on all the people who apparently do understand it and seem to think it was pretty incredible :P I guess the point is that it's all relative. (sorry).
TSMGUY wrote: » "Wrote stories", jeeez that's dismissive. Like saying "Einstein crunched numbers":( More to it than...... But I agree, broadly speaking.
Jawgap wrote: » I think, I'll happily accept being corrected, Shakespeare's plays are dramatisations of historical events or stories told and conceived by others - so in that regard there's some lack of originality. His poetry is a different class altogether though. Saying that, many of our everyday expressions originated from his plays....including that word so beloved of boards.ie.......RANT!!! Anyway, Francis Bacon is the real Shakespearean genius; )
Gwynplaine wrote: » Stupid thread. The two are unrelated. It's like asking, who's better, Michael Jordan or Michael Jackson?
Tim Shearer wrote: » I would go with Carl Friedrich Gauss ahead of them all, the greatest mathematcian of all time.
