Evening gents. I just finished watching a pbs special about Sir Isaac Newton. The breadth and scope of his genius and understanding simply boggles the mind. While we were taught the basics of his gravity laws in elementary school, a deeper learning process would be required to fully grasp his work. Theologian, alchemist, scientist, astronomer, mathematician, warden of the royal mint, and author of Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica. The man was a wonder. While this is certainly not intended to start a debate between creation vs. evolution, Newton never gave up his studies of God and Bible. He devoutly believed yet harboured ideas that would have been heresy if espoused publicly. I am just awed by the man's intellect. If I understood the show correctly, he basically invented modern calculus. There were a number of professors from differing universities on the show and they all seemed to agree that his masterpiece, Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, is the finest single scientific work extant. Pretty lofty praise.
You get a bit more reflective as you grow older. I've just turned 44 so while not "old" I'm certainly no kid anymore. Upon checking into Newton's life, I discovered that he published his masterpiece at the same age. It made me take notice that I have done nothing too worthwhile in my life and this man who lived and worked by whale oil lamps and horse powered transportation defined our laws of gravity and modern physics. I am struck by how full of ourselves we are at times. Sorry if this sounds a bit melancholy. It is not meant in that vein. I just feel it would behoove us all to pick up some old texts and study a bit about the men and women who gave us much of our modern world. Have a great weekend.
Regards, Todd
You get a bit more reflective as you grow older. I've just turned 44 so while not "old" I'm certainly no kid anymore. Upon checking into Newton's life, I discovered that he published his masterpiece at the same age. It made me take notice that I have done nothing too worthwhile in my life and this man who lived and worked by whale oil lamps and horse powered transportation defined our laws of gravity and modern physics. I am struck by how full of ourselves we are at times. Sorry if this sounds a bit melancholy. It is not meant in that vein. I just feel it would behoove us all to pick up some old texts and study a bit about the men and women who gave us much of our modern world. Have a great weekend.
Regards, Todd