EULER, LEONHARD. - THE KOENIG-MAUPERTUIS CONTROVERSY.

Examen de la dissertation de M. le Professeur Koenig, inseree dans les actes de Leipzig, pour le mois de mars 1751. (Examination of the dissertation of Professor Koenig inserted into the Acts of Leipzig for the month of March 1751) (+) Essay d'une Demonstration metaphysique du Principle général de L'Equilibre. (Essay concerning a metaphysical experiment on the general principle of equilibrium). (2 Papers).

(Berlin, Haude et Spener, 1753). 4to. No wrappers, as issued in "Mémoires de l'Academie Royale des Sciences et Belles-Lettres", tome VII, Année 1751. Pp. 221-245 and pp. 246-254 a. 1 engraved plate.

First editions. The first paper concerns the Argument over the principle of least action, relating to the famous controversy - and one of the ugliest scientific controversies - between Koenig and Maupertuis.
"In 1751 a sensational new argument began when S. König published some critical remarks on Maupertuis’s principle of least action (1744) and cited a letter of Leibniz in which the principle was, in König’s opinion, formulated more precisely. Submitting to Maupertuis, the Berlin Academy rose to defend him and demanded that the original of Leibniz’ letter (a copy had been sent to König from Switzerland) be presented. When it became clear that the original could not be found, Euler published, with the approval of the Academy, "Exposé concernant l’examen de la lettre de M. de Leibnitz" (1752), where, among other things, he declared the letter a fake. The conflict grew critical when later in the same year Voltaire published his Diatribe du docteur Akakia, médecin du pape, defending König and making laughingstocks of both Maupertuis and Euler."(DSB) - Enestrom No. 199.

The second paper - Enestrom No. 200.

Order-nr.: 49695