Newton and Leibniz
by Jeff
Image meta text: YEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHH!
This comic is a pun on the word derivative.
First and foremost Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz both invented calculus independent of each other, as the comic says, about 8 years apart. However, Newton disputed the fact that Leibniz invented calculus independent of him.
In calculus a derivative is the result of mathematical differentiation; the instantaneous change of one quantity relative to another; df(x)/dx. However, the literary word derivative means to develop from something older.
So, the pun is that Newton in the comic is claiming that Leibniz's derivative(the invention of calculus) is a derivative(developed from) his derivative(calculus).
The comic as a whole is mocking the pattern of corny one-liners that David Caruso often spurts out during the opening scenes of CSI: Miami. The one liner is followed by him dramatically pulling off his sunglasses and then the show breaks into the title sequence which starts with the word "YEEEEAAAAAAAH." This has become a popular internet meme and was used frequently most recently with Michael Jackson's death.
Make sense? Anyone have a better explanation than that?
August 21st, 2009
Here.
August 25th, 2009
unless i’m mistaken, “derivative” was leibniz’s terminology. in fact, i believe that most of the calculus terminology in use today was leibniz’s. as the popular history goes, newton invented it first, but his notation was so esoteric and inaccessible that nobody could use it, and so we use leibniz’s notation today. therefore, when newton says “derivative,” it’s possible that beyond even the pun, there’s the irony that newton, in dismissing leibniz’s work, is also embracing it. way to fucking go, XKCD, way to fucking go.
November 22nd, 2009
The kernel of the joke’s quite old. I first heard it as mathematicians telling each other jokes at high level of abstraction
Mathematician 1: f (x)
(everybody laughs)
Mathematician 2: f’ (x)
(everybody groans and says “oh, but that’s derivative”)
January 3rd, 2010
What about F(x)?
February 16th, 2011
No dude.. that’s too primitive for me!
November 16th, 2011
Michael Jackson? Why? (example?)
January 30th, 2012
F: H, seems like Michael Jackson had a heart attack at the time.
H: ( •_•)
well..
( •_•)>⌐■-■
looks like he…
(⌐■_■)
…couldn’t ‘Beat It’
YYYYEEEEAAAAHHHHHHH!!!