Isaac Newton

Transcript of audio clip from Science, Scripture & Salvation: A Creation Radio Journal on Isaac Newton

Cris: In the next few minutes, we will discuss the discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton and their importance to us today. We will also learn about Newton's view of the Creator and the Scriptures. And we will see that this great intellect, was not just a man of science but a man of God.

But first, when did Isaac Newton live? ICR Biologist, Frank Sherwin explains...

Sherwin: Isaac Newton was born on Christmas day the same year the Italian mathematical physicist Galileo died. He has been called "one of the greatest names in the history of human thought" mainly because he discovered how the universe is held together. Newton was a "solitary scholar," the chief figure of the scientific revolution of the 17^th century highlighted by his authoring Principia, the greatest scientific work in history. This man of amazing intellect was also a genuine believer in Christ as his Savior and in the Bible as God's Word.

Cris: To the average person, probably the most recognizable of Newton's discoveries would be that of gravity. John Rajca, Director of ICR's Museum...

Rajca: While the story of the apple hitting Newton on the head seems to have been wrong, we do have several accounts. The first one being by a gentleman named William Stuckley, who said, "The weather being warm, he went to the garden and drank tea under the shade of some apple trees, only he and myself. Amidst other discourses, he told me, he was just in the same situation as when formally the notion of gravitation came into his mind. It was occasioned by the fall of an apple as he sat in a contemplative mood. Why should that apple always descend perpendicularly to the ground? Thought he to himself. Why should it not go sideways, or upwards, but constantly to the earth's center?"

Cris: And thus the theory of gravity was born...

Rajca: Gravity is basically that all bodies in the universe exert some kind of force on each other or a gravitational pull, sort of a little tug. This was a revolutionary idea when Newton had it, and he published this in his Philosophe Naturalis Principia Matematica or what we would call today, Principia Matematica.

Cris: Newton's work Principia is amazing. Frank Sherwin...

Sherwin: Also known as Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, this incredible work consists of three books that have changed the face of science. It includes Newton's theory of gravitation and laws of motion.

Cris: John Rajca...

Rajca: These laws are what we today call the inertia law—a body at rest remains at rest, and a body in motion continues to move at a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force. The second law: a force acting on a body gives it an acceleration, which is in the direction of the force and has magnitude inversely proportional to the mass of the body. And finally, whenever a body exerts a force on another body, the latter exerts a force equal to the magnitude and opposite direction on the former.

Cris: These laws of motion may seem almost trivial to the average lay person, but they play a vital role in our understanding and ability to study the universe. Frank Sherwin...

Sherwin: After the Apollo moonship blasted away from the earth to the moon, Mission Control in Houston asked, "Who's doing the driving?" The astronauts replied promptly, "Isaac Newton."

Cris: And even the works of later scientists were built on Newton's work...

Sherwin: Although rejecting some of Newton's explanations regarding gravitation, Albert Einstein said that his own work would not have been possible without the discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton.

Cris: And the basis for much of Newton's revolutionary work was begun while he was still a student, before he graduated from the University...

Sherwin: English historians refer to a certain annus mirabilis, or year of miracles. It was approximately 12 months spanning 1665 to 1666 when the doors of Trinity College in Cambridge closed to all students, including the 23 year-old Newton, due to the plague. During this incredible year Newton developed a theory of color, he invented the calculus (that took modern mathematics above the level of Greek geometry), Newton discovered the universal law of gravitation (and thereby created contemporary dynamics), and proved the binomial theorem.

Cris: Probably one of the most important contributions that Newton made to modern science was his methodology...

Rajca: First he suggested, if something can be explained by natural causes—gravity, laws of motion, etc., then that's all the explanation we should seek, and not seek a supernatural explanation for what we've seen. Two, Newton said the same natural effects must be assigned to the same causes. Three, qualities of bodies are to be esteemed as universal. And finally, propositions deduced from observation of phenomenon, should be viewed as accurate until other phenomenon contradicted it. This fourth proposition, probably led to the biggest revolution in science—that observation and experimentation are what would be foundational to discovering whether something is true scientifically.

Cris: Newton's work didn't stop with methodology, and he branched into many areas of science. Frank Sherwin...

Sherwin: Newton's investigations included mathematics, theology, mechanics, dynamics, optics, history and chemistry. His achievements were legion, the theory of universal gravitation and his derivation of Kepler's Laws; his formulation of the concept of force as expressed in the three laws of motion; the corpuscular theory of light. When it comes to the description of light for example, Newton was able to explain why we see an ocean of green when we look over a lush forest. A leaf is green because it absorbs the violet, red and blue rays of white light, while reflecting the green color back to our eyes.

Cris: This view of light was very different from traditional thought at that time. John Rajca...

Rajca: Ever since the time of Aristotle, most scientists believed that light was all white and basically a single type of thing. Newton, however, as he was looking through lenses, noticed a rainbow effect—or what we call chromatic aberration. Newton surmised that light was not white, but made up of many colors. Newton proved this by passing light through a prism and braiding it up into the famous rainbow of colors that we're familiar with.

Cris: Although Newton laid the foundation for much modern scientific discoveries, he was a very eccentric personality...

Rajca: Newton seemed to be the typical view of the absentminded scientist. He could stay focused on a problem for long periods of time without eating. When he did finally entertain guests, he would sometimes leave to find supplies and not be heard from again for several hours. Often being found working out some problem, in a small corner, totally oblivious to his guests and other people there at his house.

Cris: Newton was a great scientist, and yet he also was a believer in the Creator of the Bible...

Rajca: Newton today is considered by many to be the greatest intellect perhaps of all time. He created the science of mechanics—three laws that are basic to all physics. He explained the motion of planets. He set the stage for future analysis in various fields in mathematics, invented the Newtonian telescope, Kinetic theory, electromagnetism, contributed to light and optics, conservation laws. He even seemed to demonstrate, finally, that scientific reasoning was the way to approach problems. Newton of course believed that there was a God. In fact, he believed that the natural world could only, quote "proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful being," unquote. He felt that the supreme God exists necessarily and by some necessity he exists always and everywhere.

Cris: Today, there are those who attempt to deny this fact, but as Historian, Dr. Michael Suozzi, points out...

Suozzi: It was only after the death of Newton that any attempt was made to erase his place as a Christian, and notably by the greatest opponent of Christianity in the 18 century—Voltaire. Voltaire wrote his famous book, Elements of the Philosophy of Newton in which he popularized Newton's science without, of course, emphasizing Newton's Christianity. The atheists have taken this approach ever since, and we even see (in the latest biography of Newton by the English science writer, Michael White, in 1997) the trend is to de-emphasize Newton's Christian Beliefs.

Cris: But Newton's belief in the Creator of the Bible is very apparent when you read his writings...

Suozzi: While Newton lived in a time frame of 1642 to 1727, and this is very important in terms of identifying and of discussing his beliefs in Christianity. He certainly stated in his writings that "Jesus Christ is the Beloved of God, from the foundations of the world." These are his exact words. He accepts the ancient teaching of Christ as the Logos, or the Word of God—the creative principle that went forth from the Father to establish the universe. This Word of God not only created all of reality, but also is the sustaining principal that keeps all the heavenly bodies in their courses. If by the word "Christianity", we mean all those who believe that Jesus is the incarnation of the creative power of the universe and of all reality, then Newton was a Christian, despite all the attempts by the atheistic historians to deny it.

Cris: In fact, Newton believed that the order and design man sees around him was a definite sign of the Creator God...

Suozzi: Newton believes that God writes in the Scriptures in the same way that He acts in nature. Thus nature and the Scriptures, according to Newton, are identical in the mind of God. When Newton looks at the design of the universe, he says, "We know God by his most excellent contrivances of things, and by the final causes. We admire Him for His perfection. And we reverence and adore Him on account of His dominion, " end quote.

Cris: And even the cultural climate of the world at that time, denies the claims of Newton being an atheist...

Suozzi: For instance, Alfred North Whitehead—the celebrated historian, mathematician and philosophy coined the term, "climate of opinion" to designate the prevailing cultural norms over a period of time. In the frame of the 17^th century in the first third of the 18^th, when Newton lived, there was no prevailing atheism. Nor was there any Deism that was widespread. Even when one includes the Renaissance skepticism extent in the previous centuries, there was little of that in the mainstream of science itself. So according to the scale used by Whitehead, it would be very difficult or impossible to prove that Newton was anything else but a Christian.

Cris: Frank Sherwin...

Sherwin: Newton spent a large segment of his time on questions of theology and Biblical chronology. He wrote many books on Biblical subjects, especially prophecy. Newton wrote strong papers refuting atheism and defending creation and the Bible. Newton said, "Atheism is so senseless. When I look at the solar system, I see the earth at the right distance from the sun to receive the proper amounts of heat and light. This did not happen by chance. The motions of the planets require a Divine Arm to impress them." Newton also said, "We account the Scriptures of God to be the most sublime philosophy. I find more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history whatsoever."

Cris: We hope you've learned something new about Sir Isaac Newton, and have been encouraged in your faith.