Isaac Newton

Essay by Anonymous UserCollege, UndergraduateA+, December 1996

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During seventeenth century England many changes were going on. England was going through the Glorious Revolution and was in a state of turmoil. It was at this time when Sir Isaac Newton was born at Lincolnshire, England. He was by no means a normal person. In fact, he is now considered one of history's greatest thinkers. It is almost impossible to detail all of his contributions but he is most known for his universal law of gravitation and three laws of motion. His amazing synthesis of ideas and unusual ability to rationalize them surely made him stand out in a world that was just seeing the birth of a modern science. Through his incredible mathematical analyses and inventions he single-handedly created the science of mechanics and explained the motion of planets. This, accompanied with his other work in mathematics set the stage for future analysis in the fields of mechanics, engineering, kinetic theory, light, optics, and countless others.

However, his achievements did not only affect the future. He also crystallized the infamous Scientific Revolution in his own lifetime. It was these profound accomplishments and the multitude of his other work that had immeasurable affects on world view which ultimately lead Sir Isaac Newton to be known as the father of modern science.

In order to understand the nature of Newton's genius, we must first understand the period of time in which he lived. Before Newton's birth, many scientists had began to make discoveries that would affect his thought. Galileo wrote on mechanics, kinematics and astronomy. Descartes studied analytical geometry and optics. Hooke examined elasticity (Anthony, 89). At the same time, many others scientists were advancing other fields. The seventeenth century was truly a highly creative period. However, this creativity was not knew. It was the pyramiding effect of centuries of...