Quantum Drummer

As mentioned previously, Newton is considered as the first of the formal scientists of the new technological era, and at the same time, given his deep interests in alchemy and the hermetic works, some consider him the last of the alchemists. In reality, Newton himself, is a Complementary figure in the transition of paradigms, and the major shift that occurred between a world that was religion centered and a world that became science centered. It is impossible to consider that Newton’s scientific works in Optics, Mathematics and Gravitation were free of the philosophical influences of the alchemists. In reality, the correct view of Newton’s work should be, like any other complementary set of elements, a combination of the two paradigms, merging into one, which became the Mechanistic view of the universe. The great influence of Newton on science and in the world is undeniable, and he still is listed as number two of the most influential persons in human history, second only to Mohamed and ahead of Jesus Christ who is in third place of the list. However, it is important to notice, that as it is normal to occur with the great influential individuals in history, after his death, his biographers and the powers at the time took the opportunity to build an image of Newton that fit the intentions of the keepers of power. For generations, his disciples protected his image as being the “pure, distilled essence of scientific inquiry – genius unsullied” (White, 1997, p. 1) which resulted in the formalization of the “Newtonian Paradigm,” the “Newtonian Science,” etc. Elements that are present in humanity’s mental model to this day. As is normally the case, the keepers of the dogma become their most fervent defenders, even more than the originator, who many times was not even aware that a dogma was emerging. These keepers of the dogma, as mentioned before, took ownership of Newton’s ideas and made them fit into the way of thinking that was to support their power status and domination, since the 17^th century until today.

Michael White (1997) describes how the real story of Isaac Newton, and not the idealization created by its early biographers, emerged in 1936, at the time that a collection of Newton’s papers having “no scientific value” were purchased at an auction at Sotheby’s London by the known economist John Maynard Keynes, who also was a student of Newton’s works. Once he studied the contents of Newton’s papers, Keynes delivered a lecture in 1942 at the Royal Society Club. In this lecture, Keynes provided a different image of Newton for the first time, delivering the following message:

“In the eighteenth century and since, Newton came to be thought of as the first and greatest of the modern age of scientists, a rationalist, one who taught us to think on the lines of cold and untinctured reason. I do not see him in this light. I do not think that any one who has pored over the contents of that box which he packed when he left Cambridge in 1696 and which, though partly dispersed, have come down to us, can see him like that. Newton was not the first of the age of reason. He was the last of the magicians, the last of the Babylonians and Sumerians, the last great mind which looked out on the visible and intellectual world with the same eyes as those who began to build our intellectual inheritance rather less than 10,000 years ago. Isaac Newton, a posthumous child born with no father on Christmas day, 1642, was the last wonder-child to whom the Magi could do sincere and appropriate homage.” (White, 1997, p. 3)

Several of the new bibliographies of Newton, like White’s, Dobbs’ and others, provide the new image that changes the description of the originator of the Mechanistic paradigm of nature. However, once again, as the either ~ or dualistic approach has proven inaccurate so many times, it is my reflection that in reality, Newton was most probably somebody that would fit the both ~ and paradigm. Somebody that in order to create such an important piece of work, was required to have the ability to handle both the spiritual and the material/scientific view of nature. If we were to analyze in more detail his life and his work, and also those of other key scientists, philosophers and thinkers in human history, we could probably find the same characteristics of open mind, lack of interest in dogmas, and pure curiosity. Elements that remain so important for the development of human knowledge even today.

References:

White, M. (1997) Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer, London, England: Fourth Estate Limited