Newton's Scientific Method in Words and Deeds

Zibakalam, Saeid

doi:10.30465/ps.2020.5668

Newton's Scientific Method in Words and Deeds

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

saeid zibakalam

Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Tehran

https://doi.org/10.30465/ps.2020.5668

Abstract

Evaluating the conformity of Newton’s methodological statements with his actual practice of science is the prime goal of this article. The importance of the question is that despite much researches about Newton’s scientific method in the last quarter of a century, there is still not even a rough picture of what that method looks like. I have surmised that part of the explanation for this inscrutability lies in the fact that Newton’s words and deeds may, for good reasons, be on the whole not quite coherent. Thus, I want to raise and answer this question: Is it possible that a large share of the inscrutability of Newton’s method rests on the fact that some of Newton’s proclaimed methodological rules do not quite cohere with his practiced rules. But more so, in some cases, these two kinds of proclaimed and practiced rules may simply be inconsistent. For this, I have mainly relied on scrutiny of Newton’s two classic works, The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy and Optics, and some of his relevant correspondence.

Keywords

Newton

scientific method

methodological rules

the ‘game of science’

hypothesizing

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