There seems little to justify Wallis 's claim, which was probably made partly through patriotism but also through his just desires to give Harriot more credit for his work. Harriot 's work on equations, however, may indeed have influenced Descartes who always claimed, clearly falsely, that nothing in his work was influenced by the work of others.
May maliit na tila sa-sala Wallis' s claim, na kung saan ay marahil na ginawa sa pamamagitan ng bahagyang kabayanihan kundi pati na rin sa pamamagitan ng kanyang mga hinahangad lamang upang mabigyan Harriot more credit para sa kanyang trabaho. Harriot 's trabaho sa equation, gayunman, ay maaaring sa katunayan ay may naiimpluwensyahan Descartes na palaging inaangkin, malinaw na pasinungaling, na wala sa kanyang trabaho ay naiimpluwensyahan ng trabaho ng iba.