-
Views
-
Cite
Cite
Marek H Dominiczak, Science and Culture in the 18th Century: Isaac Newton, Clinical Chemistry, Volume 58, Issue 3, 1 March 2012, Pages 655–656, https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2011.180810
Close - Share Icon Share
Extract
Isaac Newton (1642–1727) has a unique place in the history of science. His theories replaced Aristotelian mechanics and caused a paradigm shift in the outlook on the workings of the universe. The emphasis he put on experimental approach was essential for the transformation of natural philosophy into science (1).
Newton's theory of gravity was universal in the sense that it explained both common phenomena such as the falling of objects and astronomical events such as the movements of celestial bodies and comet trajectories. Such wide application impressed not only his fellow scientists but also poets and philosophers, including the greatest skeptic of all, Voltaire (1694–1698). Voltaire, a vocal advocate of Newton's work, stressed how Newton was able to address the fundamental issues during a time when “it seemed to the wisest that it was temerarious even to dare to think one could guess by what laws the heavenly bodies move and how light works” (2).
