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About God in Newton's correspondence with Richard Bentley and Queries in Opticks

Author

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  • Nicolae Sfetcu

    (Romanian Academy - Romanian Committee for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology (CRIFST), History of Science Division (DIS))

Abstract

In Newton’s correspondence with Richard Bentley, Newton rejected the possibility of remote action, even though he accepted it in the Principia. Practically, Newton’s natural philosophy is indissolubly linked to his conception of God. The knowledge of God seems to be essentially immutable, unlike the laws of nature that can be subjected to refining, revision and rejection procedures. As Newton later states in Opticks, the cause of gravity is an active principle in matter, but this active principle is not an essential aspect of matter, but something that must have been added to matter by God, arguing in the same Query of Opticks even the need for divine intervention.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicolae Sfetcu, 2019. "About God in Newton's correspondence with Richard Bentley and Queries in Opticks," Working Papers engod, MultiMedia Publishing.
    • Handle: RePEc:bbp:wpaper:engod
    DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.16732.44162
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