Newton and the Mechanical Philosophy

The context and consequence of Newton’s work:

1. Influences and interests (1660s – )
   • education at Cambridge & research (philosophical notebooks)
   • practical technology, inventions, and mechanical philosophy
   • alchemy and chemical experimentation
   • mathematics — new Cartesian geometry, algebra, infinite series
   • theology (secret Arianism)
   • language
   • historical chronology and prophecy (Book of Daniel)
2. Newton’s place in the mechanical philosophy research program: mathematics and gravitation
   • work of 1665-66:
     • mathematics (influence of John Wallis) of binomial theorem, calculus
     • color theory for optics
     • gravitation and the planets’ orbits
   • “delay” in publishing
   • controversy with Hooke:
     • disputes over priority of optics theory and mathematics of orbits
     • personality clash
     • disagreement over empiricism, models, method
   • Halley’s encouraging role in Newton’s work
   • Newton’s solution of universal gravitational attraction: force, inertia, point mass
3. Newton’s Principia [Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy] (1687)
   • Book One:
     • general dynamics on a mathematical basis (starting with the motion of particles)
     • laws of motion
     • principles of mechanics
     • Kepler’s Laws
   • Book Two:
     • motion in fluids
     • motion of fluid media
     • vortices
   • Book Three:
     • universal gravitation (moon & earth)
     • particle attraction
     • extension to problems of pendulum, tides, irregularities
     • general principles for physics
4. persuasiveness of Principia
   • solutions to fit data
   • unification of celestial and earthly physics under universal laws
   • coverage of old facts and dilemmas within one system
   • novel ideas and extension to new problems and solutions
   • mathematical derivations, proofs, synthetic system
   • principles or method of doing mechanical philosophy
5. criticisms
   • gravitation as an “occult force” [Huygens]
   • difficulties with mathematics
   • priority claims of Hooke

The Newtonian Synthesis:

1. a consistent physics of solutions and innovations [Whewellian “consilience“]
2. Newton’s “rules of philosophy”
   1. minimal sufficient causes
   2. universal laws, and deduction of causes from similar actions
   3. measurable, reductionist, non-occult, material properties
   4. experimental acceptance and rejection of hypotheses
3. the Newtonian ideal method
4. avoid first causes, occult causes, naive mechanisms
5. the meanings of “hypotheses non fingo” for practicing physicists:
   • dispute over the role of theory
   • ensuing traditions of physics research:
     • empirical (lab and models)
     • theoretical (mathematical)
6. Newtonian assumptions [‘Query 31’ in Opticks]:
   • particulate, material world
   • universal laws and relationships
   • attraction (affinity)

© 2018 Dr. William Kimler