Table of Contents
Newton the occultist
- For Newton, invoking supernatural causes to explain natural phenomena was the rule, not the exception. Newton’s another favorite supernatural cause is God. In the Principia Newton explains several natural phenomena as the actions of God.
- Newton’s disciples have been repeating the propaganda that Newton was a rational scientist, he was the greatest scientific mind ever lived, yes, tey sey, the great man, dabbled in esotericism and occultism and religious mysticism but these were his hobbies he just entertained himself with, his scientific work was strictly rational and Newton never mixed his occultist tendencies in his natural philosophy. This is flat out a lie.
- Newton’s alchemical work, as a proto-experimental science was more scientific then his natural philosophy and the content of his Principia. Newton natural philosopy and his system of the world is based on an occult and supernatural cause. Newton the occultist reveals himself in his Principia. But Newton was a masterful sophist and he was able to hide his occultism and was able to sell it as his greatest scientific discovery. Newton sold his supernatural cause as his greatest physical discovery.
- Here are some other example where Newton explains natural phenomena with a supernatural cause, namely, God.
- These are the words of a religious fanatic who imports his religious dogma on nature. If a scientist today uttered similar opinions he would be dubbed a fundamentalist or an advocate of intelligent design.
Examples of Newton’s supernatural causes in the Principia
[chatgpt]
Newton’s Principia Mathematica contains some fascinating moments [chatgpt is a fanatic Newtonist!] where he invokes divine action or supernatural explanations, especially when dealing with the origins or maintenance of the cosmos. Here are some key examples with references:
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1. God as the Architect of the Solar System
Newton believed that while his laws of motion and gravitation explained the dynamics of the cosmos, the initial arrangement and design of the universe required divine intervention. In the General Scholium (added in the second edition of the Principia, 1713), Newton writes:
“This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being.”
(Principia, General Scholium, 1713)
Here, Newton emphasizes that the precise and stable structure of the solar system could not have arisen purely by natural means—it required God’s creative act.
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2. Divine Intervention to Prevent Cosmic Chaos
In Book III, Newton raises the issue of how planetary orbits remain stable over long periods despite gravitational perturbations caused by mutual interactions between planets. He speculates that God intervenes occasionally to correct or stabilize the system:
“The motions of the planets could not have been thus exactly adjusted without the design and dominion of an intelligent agent.”
(Principia, Book III, Proposition 11, Scholium)
Newton was aware that perturbations could lead to instabilities over long timescales. Since he didn’t know about secular perturbation theory (developed later), he attributed long-term stability to divine maintenance.
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3. God and the Origin of Matter
Newton believed that the creation of matter itself was an act of God. He saw matter as indivisible units, which he also referred to as “particles” or “solid, massy, hard, impenetrable particles.” In Book III, he suggests that these particles were created by God in perfect form:
“It seems probable to me that God in the beginning formed matter in solid, massy, hard, impenetrable particles.”
(Principia, Query 31, in the Opticks, but consistent with his thinking in the Principia)
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4. God’s Role in Space and Time
In the General Scholium, Newton gives his theological interpretation of space and time as emanations of God’s existence:
“God is eternal and infinite, omnipotent and omniscient; that is, His duration reaches from eternity to eternity; His presence from infinity to infinity; He governs all things and knows all things that are or can be done.”
(Principia, General Scholium)
Here, Newton presents space and time as the “sensorium of God,” meaning that they are not independent entities but rather reflections of God’s omnipresence.
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5. God and the Mystery of Cometary Orbits
Newton was fascinated by comets and saw them as a possible tool for divine regulation of the cosmos. He speculated that comets might replenish the sun’s heat or deliver necessary materials to distant parts of the universe—a process guided by divine wisdom.
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Summary
Newton’s Principia is a blend of scientific rigor and theological reflection. While he provided groundbreaking physical explanations, he often resorted to God as the ultimate cause for phenomena that he could not yet explain through natural laws. This approach was not unusual for scientists of his time and reflected a broader philosophical view that natural laws were designed by a divine creator.
Would you like me to go deeper into any specific example, such as perturbation theory, the stability of the solar system, or his ideas on comets?