Turing, Darwin or Einstein, which had the biggest impact?

[bronson]

Einstein is probably the scientist that pops into most people's minds when they think about who is an important scientist/thinker.

Recently, many have called for Darwin's theory of Evolution to be considered the most important idea in science with ramifications for humanity in general.

And then there is poor old Turing, the forgotten genius who brought us the information age and without which we would all be sending telegrams to each other.

So who is it for you and why? Who do you think is the most important thinker in science? Or is there someone else you consider even more important.

Please don't cop out and just say that they cannot be compared or ranked.

 

[plumjam]

I'd say Darwin, by far.
His main idea is reasonably simple, and therefore comprehensible to most. The ideas of Turing and Einstein are rather rarified and too complicated for most non-specialists.
Furthermore the ideas of the latter two have no great impact on a human being's sense of what is his own real nature, his origin, what is his role in life, how he should live etc.. whereas Darwin's idea certainly does.
Unfortunately Darwin was much more wrong than Turing and Einstein, so it's had disastrous social consequences, but hey, that would be a different thread

 

[Rob Lister]

Einstein is probably the scientist that pops into most people's minds when they think about who is an important scientist/thinker.

Minds? Einstein.
Life? Darwin.
Porn? Turing.

 

[Galileo]

Galileo had the greatest impact.

 

[plumjam]

Minds? Einstein.
Life? Darwin.
Porn? Turing.

Turing then.

 

[Third Eye Open]

Unfortunately Darwin was much more wrong than Turing and Einstein, so it's had disastrous social consequences, but hey, that would be a different thread

Yes, let's just dangle that out there and see if anyone bites.

 

[cyborg]

Unfortunately Darwin was much more wrong than Turing and Einstein, so it's had disastrous social consequences,

In what sense does Einstein being right about E=MC^2 mean that the disastrous social consequences of nuclear weapons haven't happened?

 

[technoextreme]

Please don't cop out and just say that they cannot be compared or ranked.

Ehhh... Im copping out because the more I learned the more I think this is a stupid question because no matter who you name I can point god knows how many other people that are just as important. Turing ranks up there in importance in terms of computer but then I can name god only knows how many other people that have the same rank.

 

[Perpetual Student]

The person that had the most profound impact on humanity is Isaac Newton.
He brought mankind from a belief system of magical influences and vague tendencies to the first truly mathematically based scientific explanation of motion and astronomical observations. He launched the modern era of science!

 

[bronson]

Yes, let's just dangle that out there and see if anyone bites.

Yeah I was going to put a condition that this isn't a forum to trash Darwin.

 

[MG1962]

I am going to plump for Darwin. He not only changed how we saw ourselves. He effectivly changed how we thougt about science. Previously, scientist came up with a theory then tried to find evidence to back that theory. He reversed the process and took a series of seemingly unrelated observations and found an explanation through theory to explain why they were all connected.

I disagree with Newton being in this league. Yes his mathematical treaties of gravity is simply outstanding, however he knew even at the time there was a flaw in the theory because it could not explain the movement of Mercury

 

[TX50]

Alexander Fleming. Norman Borlaug. Jonas Salk.

Of the three, though, I think it has to be Darwin (and his intellectual successors).

 

[Mashuna]

His main idea is reasonably simple, and therefore comprehensible to most.

Although obviously creationists struggle with the concept.

 

[Tubbythin]

The person that had the most profound impact on humanity is Isaac Newton.
He brought mankind from a belief system of magical influences and vague tendencies to the first truly mathematically based scientific explanation of motion and astronomical observations. He launched the modern era of science!

And yet his answer to why the Universe didn't collapse under its own gravity was along the lines of "God stops it".

 

[JimBenArm]

What about Ron Popeil? Where would we be without the Pocket Fisherman? The Veg-O-Matic? Huh?
Anarchy, that's where!

 

[Tubbythin]

I disagree with Newton being in this league. Yes his mathematical treaties of gravity is simply outstanding, however he knew even at the time there was a flaw in the theory because it could not explain the movement of Mercury

Really? AFAIA, the anomaly wasn't discovered till the mid 19th century. Even when that was discovered, most people thought the answer lay in a new, unobserved astronomical body. I'm not sure (and I could be wrong) anyone really thought Mercury's anomalous orbit was a sign of the breakdown of NG till Einstein came along.

 

[EHocking]

Galileo had the greatest impact.

Only 'cos he was fatter than the other three.

 

[Perpetual Student]

I am going to plump for Darwin. He not only changed how we saw ourselves. He effectivly changed how we thougt about science. Previously, scientist came up with a theory then tried to find evidence to back that theory. He reversed the process and took a series of seemingly unrelated observations and found an explanation through theory to explain why they were all connected.

I disagree with Newton being in this league. Yes his mathematical treaties of gravity is simply outstanding, however he knew even at the time there was a flaw in the theory because it could not explain the movement of Mercury

The precession of mercury's perihelion was discovered in the mid 19Th century. Newton knew nothing about it.
In any case, I agree that Darwin is up there too -- just a notch below Newton.

 

[Perpetual Student]

And yet his answer to why the Universe didn't collapse under its own gravity was along the lines of "God stops it".

Hey, he was born in the seventeenth century! Atheists were burned! God has always been the explanation for unexplainable phenomena -- until it's explained.
Newton's accomplishments and impact are the point here, not his failings -- if you choose to see his use of the supernatural as a failing, it's not relevant.

 

[Tubbythin]

Hey, he was born in the seventeenth century! Atheists were burned! God has always been the explanation for unexplainable phenomena -- until it's explained.
Newton's accomplishments and impact are the point here, not his failings -- if you choose to see his use of the supernatural as a failing, it's not relevant.

I'm not denying Newton's accomplishments were great. Just that

He brought mankind from a belief system of magical influences

isn't really true.