Newton, Isaac (1642-1727)English
natural philosopher. His Works include: Mathematical
Principles of Natural Philosophy, 1687. Opticks,
1704. His importance lay in the areas of: Gravity, mathematics, optics,
astronomy, motion, as well as the grand synthesis completing new view of the
world.
Newtons
work can be considered as the culmination of the scientific revolution. The
cosmological synthesis draws together the work of Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo
and Descartes to finalise a new view of the universe, heliocentric, constructed
out of mathematically treatable particles, governed by the laws of mathematical
physics, working in the fashion of clockwork. While this view of the world needs
to be extended beyond physics and astronomy (which was effectively the task
which the Enlightenment sets itself) the fundamentals of this view of the world
fall into place with the work of Newton. The methodological synthesis is equally
important, as it sets the guidelines as to how science will be done, and is of
course closely related to the new view of the universe. Again
Newton draws on various sources; Galileo, Bacon and Descartes, to name a few.
The new
method seeks a balance between mathematical theorising and controlled
experiment, and pays no attention to ancient authority. The success of
Newton is also important; it shows that science can indeed make great strides
forward and heralds the great era of eighteenth century optimism known as the
Enlightenment
He was
educated at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1661 and graduated 1664. In 1665,
Newton returned to Lincolnshire due to plague. In 1667,
appointed Lucasian Professor at the University of Cambridge. In 1689 is
made Member of Parliament for the University and then in 1696 in made Warden of
the Royal Mint. This was followed in 1703 by the Presidency of the Royal
Society. He was knighted in 1705
Contributed
by: Richard P Whaite
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