Is Newton being modest when he said that he was "just standing on the shoulders of giants"?

"The reason why I can see farther is because I stand on the shoulders of giants." This sentence seems to have a modest meaning, as if it is explaining the reason why I have certain achievements. , that is, you get help from others. And it is widely used nowadays to express the meaning of humility.

But in fact, Newton said such words not to reflect his modesty and low-keyness, but to ridicule and laugh at others. The appearance of this sentence actually needs to be understood according to the specific context and historical background. At that time, this sentence appeared in Newton's reply to Hooke.

Historically, Newton and Hooke had a lot of conflicts. They could be said to be mortal enemies. Logically speaking, Hooke should be regarded as Newton's predecessor. Both of them have the same identity, that is, they are members of the Royal Academy, but Hooke entered this place ten years before Newton.

However, they had differences due to their theories about optics, which led to a heated discussion. Both sides were dissatisfied with their respective statements, and Hooke even said that Newton's scientific conclusions came from his own works. Later, the two men began to secretly mock each other through letters.

When receiving Hu Ke’s letter, Newton responded to Hu Ke’s statement. He said: I can see further because I stand on the shoulders of giants. This sentence seems to It's a humble statement, actually a mockery of Hooker. Because Hu Ke is small in stature and has the habit of hunchback.

Newton expressed his dissatisfaction with Hu Ke through this kind of secret sarcasm. Therefore, this sentence does not mean humility. It is precisely because of the contradiction between Newton and Hooke that although Hooke has certain achievements, he has never been famous.