Newton is one of the real genius’s of history, he promulgated a series of laws that form a key part of the foundation of following scientific success.
However, he did not get it all right.
“To every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction” he said. Any experienced negotiator will tell you this is nonsense in the context of a negotiation, where the reactions to a proposition are rarely opposite or equal to the proposition suggested.
A negotiation is a complex series of interactions that depend on the creation of perceived value, and the reflection of that value in some way, often in monetary terms, but not always.
My sister (in Trinidad) has just swapped a beautiful, highly equipped, 32 foot sloop with some finishing work to do, for a 45 foot steel hulled sloop with little gear, apart from a full suit of sails, but which can cross the Atlantic at will. No money changed hands, but value was created for both parties, because the other had what they each needed at the time, so a deal was done, and it had nothing to do with money. It was however, a complex negotiation about relative value, with the emphasis on what each could bring to the other, and still win.
Isaac did not consider the complications of game theory in his deliberations, but if he had, he may have put some caveats on his laws.
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