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SirIsaacNewton(1642/31727):AScientificGenius

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byAnnLamont

Summary

Creation12(3):4851
June1990
Browsethisissue
SubscribetoCreation
magazine

IsaacNewtoniswellknownasoneofthegreatestscientistswhoeverlived.Lesswellknownishis
deepbeliefinGodandhisconvictionthatscientificinvestigationleadstoagreaterknowledgeofGodtheCreatorofthe
universe.

IsaacNewtonwasbornatWoolthorpe,Lincolnshire,EnglandonChristmasDay1642.Onthatcold
winternight,thesick,prematurebabyseemedunlikelytolive.Gradually,however,hegained
strengthtosurvive.ButIsaacsfirstfewyearswereastruggle.Hismotherhadbecomeawidowtwo
monthsbeforeIsaacwasborn.Evenwiththehelpofherownmother,shehaddifficultycaringfor
IsaacinadditiontorunningtheirfarmwhiletheCivilWarinEnglandragedaroundthem.
Severalyearslater,hismothermarriedtheministerfromnearbyNorthWitham,butIsaacremained
atWoolthorpewithhisgrandmother.Ashegrew,however,hevisitedhismotherfrequently.He
eagerlyreadbooksfromhisstepfather'swellstockedlibrary,inadditiontoreadingtheBible
regularly.
IsaacattendedschoolatKingsCollegeinnearbyGrantham.Ratherthanplayingoutdoorgamesasaboy,hepreferredto
makemodelsofsuchthingsaswindmillsandcarts.Notonlyweretheseinexactlytherightproportions,butallofthe
movingpartsactuallyworked.
Isaacsmotherwaswidowedforthesecondtimewhenhewas14yearsold.Isaacwastakenoutofschooltorunthe
familyfarmtosupporthismotherandherthreeyoungerchildren.However,Isaacmissedhisstudiesgreatlyandhis
motherrecognizedthis.WhenKingsCollegeofferedtowaivetuitionfeesbecauseofhisabilityandpoorcircumstances,
Isaacreturnedandcompletedhisschooling.Teachersandotherstudentswereimpressedwiththeboysknowledgeofthe
Bible.

Intendedtobecomeaminister
IsaacthenwenttoTrinityCollegeatCambridgeUniversitywiththeintentionofbecomingaChurchofEnglandminister.
Again,lifewasnoteasyforhim.Ashewasunabletoaffordthetuitionfees,heworkedmanyhourseachdayserving
mealsanddoingotherjobsfortheprofessorsinordertopayhisway.IsaacsknowledgeoftheBiblecontinuedtoimpress
thosearoundhim.
AtthattimetheideasoftheancientGreekscholarsstilldominatedwhatwastaughtinscience,andrecentscientific
discoverieswerelargelyignored.ThisgreatlyannoyedIsaacNewtonwhofirmlybelievedthatideasinscienceshouldbe
testedandonlyacceptediftheirusefulnesscouldbedemonstrated.Hewascommittedtotheexperimentalmethodof
science.
Isaacgraduatedin1665,shortlybeforeanoutbreakofBlackDeathsweptthroughLondon.Alluniversitieswereclosed
whiletheplagueraged.Duringthistime,Isaacreturnedtohisfamilysfarm,nowrunbyhisyounghalfbrother.He
continuedhisstudyandresearch,workingonthebinomialtheorem,light,telescopes,calculusandtheology.After
supposedlyseeinganapplefallinthegarden,heinvestigatedgravity,butwasunabletosolvethepuzzleuntilsomeyears
later.(Itshouldbenotedthatsomeauthoritiesquestionthisapplestory.Theysaythatthefirstmentionofitcame
throughtheantireligiousFrenchphilosopherandskeptic,Voltaire,whoreputedlyhearditfromNewtonsgrandniece.)
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RevolutioninMathematics
Newtonappliedhisbinomialtheoremtoinfiniteseriesandfromtheredevelopedcalculus,arevolutionarynewformof
mathematics.Forthefirsttimeitwaspossibletoaccuratelycalculatetheareainsideashapewithcurvedsides,andto
calculatetherateofchangeofonephysicalquantitywithrespecttoanother.Asimilarsystemofmathematicswas
developedbyGermanmathematicianGottfriedLeibniz.Foralongtimetherewasgreatconfusion,witheachbeing
accusedofstealingtheotherswork.Itwasadistressingtimeforboth.Manyyearslater,itwasestablishedthateachhad
developedcalculusindependentlyatroughlythesametime.Neitherwasacheat.

Optics
WhenCambridgeUniversityreopenedin1667,IsaacNewtonreturnedtodoaMastersDegree,
whileteachinganddoingresearch.
Newtonusedprismstoshowthatsunlightwasmadeupofallthecoloursoftherainbow.This
provedthattheancientGreeksideasaboutlightwerewrong.InNewtonstime,astronomywas
severelyhamperedbecauselensesintelescopesbrokesomeofthelightintounwantedcolours,
causingasomewhatunclearview.Althoughnotthefirsttoconsiderusingacurvedmirror
insteadofalens,Newtonwasthefirsttosuccessfullyconstructatelescopeusingthisprinciple
aprinciplestillusedtodayinmanytelescopes.

TheRoyalSociety
In1672,NewtonbecameamemberoftheRoyalSocietyagroupofscientistscommittedtothe
experimentalmethod.HepresentedoneofhisnewtelescopestotheRoyalSocietyalongwith

SirIsaacNewton
usedprismstoshow
thatsunlightwas
madeupofallthe
coloursofthe
rainbow.Thisproved
thattheancient
Greeksideasabout
lightwerewrong.

hisfindingsonlight.TheRoyalSocietysetupacommitteeledbyphysicistRobertHooketo
evaluateNewton'sfindings.HookewasascientistemployedbytheRoyalSocietytoevaluatenewinventions.However,
HookehadhisownideasonlightandwasslowtoacceptthetruthofNewtonsfindings.Thissurprisedanddisappointed
Newton,whoevenconsiderednotcirculatinghisdiscoveriesinthefuture.
WhileitissometimessaidthatNewtonwastoosensitivetocriticalevaluationofhiswork,hewasmerelyconcernedthat
thetimespentjustifyingpastfindingswaspreventinghimfrommakingnewdiscoveries.

PoliticalInterference
IsaacNewtonlivedatatimewhenpolitics,religionandeducationwerenotseparated.KingCharlesIIcommandedthat
everyonewhotaughtatplacessuchasTrinityCollege,whereChurchofEnglandministersweretrained,mustthemselves
beordainedasChurchofEnglandministersaftersevenyears.ThisincludedpeoplesuchasNewtonwhotaughtonly
mathematicsandscience,nottheology.
AlthoughadevoutChristian,NewtonwasnotinfullagreementwithallthedoctrinesoftheChurchofEngland.Thus,his
consciencewouldnotallowhimtoacceptordination.1Hewasalsostronglyopposedtopoliticalinvolvementinboth
religiousmattersandeducation.TheonlywayforNewtontokeephisjobwasforthekingtomakeanexceptioninhis
case.Otherswhohadpreviouslyaskedforthishadbeenrefused.
SoNewtonheadedsouthtoLondonforsixweekstopleadhiscasebeforetheking.DuringhistimeinLondon,hebecame
betteracquaintedwithotherscientistsintheRoyalSociety.Thosewhohadknownhimonlythroughhislettersdefending
hisdiscoverieshadmistakenhisconfidenceinhisworkforarrogance.Hisimpatiencetogetonwithnewworkhadbeen
mistakenforbadtemper.Nowthescientistsrealizedwhatafriendlyandconsideratepersonhewasandtheyralliedtohis
aid.Fortunately,forNewtonandforscience,thekinggrantedNewtonsrequesttocontinueatTrinityCollegewithout
beingordained.

FocusedonGravity
InNewtonsday,manypeopleweresuperstitiousorafraidofwhattheycouldnotunderstandsuchastheappearanceof
acomet,whichwasconsideredasignofcomingdisaster.Evenscientistsgenerallyconsideredthemotionofplanetsand
themotionofbodiesontheearthasseparateproblems.Incontrast,NewtonreasonedthatsincethesameGodcreated
theheavensaswellastheearth,thesamelawsshouldapplythroughout.
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In1684,Newtonagainbegantoconsidergravity.Hedevelopedhistheoryofuniversalgravitation,whichusedwhatis
knownastheinversesquarelaw.Hedevelopedhisthreelawsofmotion(movement)andprovedmathematicallythatthe
samelawsdid,infact,applybothtotheheavensandtheearth.Hisfaithhadfocusedhisthoughtsintherightdirection.
WhenNewtonwasinvestigatingthemovementoftheplanets,hequiteclearlysawthehandofGodatwork.Hewrote:
Thismostbeautifulsystemofthesun,planets,andcomets,couldonlyproceedfromthecounselanddominionofan
intelligentBeing.ThisBeinggovernsallthings,notasthesouloftheworld,butasLordoverallandonaccountof
hisdominionheiswonttobecalledLordGod[Pantokratrcf.2Corinthians6:18],orUniversal
Ruler.TheSupremeGodisaBeingeternal,infinite,absolutelyperfect.2

Oppositiontogodlinessisatheisminprofessionandidolatryinpractice.Atheismissosenselessandodiousto
mankindthatitneverhadmanyprofessors.3
AgainNewtonencountereddifficultieswithhisoldrivalRobertHooke.Anumberofscientistsbelievedthataninverse
squarelawprobablyapplied,buttheyhadnotbeenabletoprovethatthiswouldproducetheellipticalorbitsobservedby
famousGermanastronomerJohannesKepler.DespiteHooke'sboaststothecontraryhetoofailedtobeforthcomingwith
proof.Incontrast,NewtonsucceededbutHookewantedsomeofthecredit.
TheRoyalSocietydidnotwishtobeseentotakesides.This,togetherwithshortageoffinances,madetheRoyalSociety
reluctanttopublishNewtonslandmarkbookPrincipiaMathematical.Newtonsfriend,astronomerEdmondHalley,cameto
hisaidandprivatelyfinancedthepublicationofNewtonsthreepartbookin1687.(HalleylaterusedNewtonslawsinhis
workoncometswhich,liketheplanets,moveinellipticalorbitsaroundthesun.)

RoyalOpposition
After1685,Newtonagainencounteredtheproblemofamonarchwhotriedtominglepolitics,religionandeducation.The
newking,JamesII,wantedTrinityCollegetoawardunearneddegreestothosewhosereligiousbeliefsagreedwithhis
own.Becausetheywouldnotdothis,NewtonandeightotherteachersfromTrinityCollegewerebroughtbeforetheHigh
Courtontrumpedupcharges.Althoughthechargeswererightfullydismissed,theepisodehadbeenagreatstrainonthe
men.
IsaacNewtonstimesofhardshipandstrugglethroughouthislifetimedidnotproducebitterness.Instead,Newtonsown
wordsshowthatthisbroughthimclosertoGod.Trialsaremedicineswhichourgraciousandwisephysiciangives
becauseweneedthemandtheproportionsthefrequencyandweightofthemtowhatthecaserequires.Letustrusthis
skillandthankhimfortheprescription.

NervousBreakdown
IsaacNewtonrepresentedCambridgeUniversityasaMemberofParliamentin1689and1690.In1690,hishealthfailed.
Thisillnesswasprobablyanervousbreakdownbroughtonbymanyyearsofworkinglonghoursandenduringtoomuch
stress.Eventuallyhefullyrecovered.Forthenextfewyears,NewtonpursuedhisothergreatlovestudyingtheBible.
ThebookshewroteincludedChronologyofAncientKingdomsandObservationsUponthePropheciesofDaniel.
In1696,thegovernmentappointedNewtontothepostofWardenoftheMint.Hesupervisedthereplacementof
Englandsoldanddamagedcoinswiththosewhichwerenewandmoredurable,andevenhelpedbreakupa
counterfeitingring.
In1701,Newtonbegananothershorttermasparliamentarian.TwoyearslaterhewaselectedpresidentoftheRoyal
Society.Hisreelectiontothatpositioneveryyearfortherestofhislifeshowedthehighesteeminwhichhewasheldby
fellowscientists.Nowthathehadreturnedtoscience,Newtonpublishedhisearlierworkonlight.Hisbook,Optiks,
containedbothhisownfindingsandsuggestionsforfurtherresearch.Hiscountryofficiallyrecognizedhisworkin1705
whenhebecamethefirstpersontoreceiveaknighthoodforscientificachievement.
Newtondiedin1727,attheageof84.HewasburiedinWestminsterAbbey.
IsaacNewtonscontributionstoscienceweremanyandvaried.Theycoveredrevolutionaryideasandpracticalinventions.
Hisworkinphysics,mathematicsandastronomyisofimportanceeventoday.Hiscontributionsinanyoneofthesefields
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wouldhavemadehimfamouscollectively,theymakehimtrulyoutstanding.ButNewtonremainedamodestmanwho
lovedhisLordandSaviour.
HelovedGodandbelievedGodsWordallofit.Hewrote,IhaveafundamentalbeliefintheBibleastheWordofGod,
writtenbymenwhowereinspired.IstudytheBibledaily.
(QuotesbyNewtonaretakenfromthebookbyJ.H.Tiner,IsaacNewtonInventor,ScientistandTeacher,MottMedia,
Milford(Michigan),1975.)

References(addedbyeditor)
1. SomehaveaccusedhimofArianism,butthisisrejectedbyPfizenmaier,T.C.,WasIsaacNewtonanArian?JournaloftheHistoryof
Ideas68(1):5780,1997.AverydetaileddefenseofNewtonsTrinitarianismisVanAlanHerd,ThetheologyofSirIsaacNewton,
DoctoralDissertation,UniversityofOklahoma,2008.Thisdocumentsmuchevidence,includingNewtonswordsrefutingtritheismand
affirmingTriniarianmonotheism:
ThattosaythereisbutoneGod,yefatherofallthings,excludesnottheson&HolyghostfromtheGodheadbecaustheyare
virtuallyconteined&impliedinthefather.ToapplyyenameofGodtoyeSonorholyghostasdistinctpersonsfromthefather
makesthemnotdiversGodsfromyeFather.Soethereisdivinityinyefather,divinityinyeSon,&divinityinyeholyghost,&
yettheyarenotthreforcesbutoneforce.
Returntotext.
2. Principia,BookIIIcitedinNewtonsPhilosophyofNature:Selectionsfromhiswritings,p.42,ed.H.S.Thayer,HafnerLibraryof
Classics,NY,1953.Returntotext.
3. AShortSchemeoftheTrueReligion,manuscriptquotedinMemoirsoftheLife,WritingsandDiscoveriesofSirIsaacNewton,p.347,
bySirDavidBrewster,Edinburgh,1855.Returntotext.

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