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Single Idea 17546

[filed under theme 14. Science / B. Scientific Theories / 6. Theory Holism ]

Full Idea

The connection between the different concept in [Newton's] system is so close that one could generally not change any one of the concepts without destroying the whole system

Gist of Idea

If you changed one of Newton's concepts you would destroy his whole system

Source

comment on Isaac Newton (Principia Mathematica [1687]) by Werner Heisenberg - Physics and Philosophy 06

Book Ref

Heisenberg,Werner: 'Physics and Philosophy' [Penguin 1989], p.82

A Reaction

This holistic situation would seem to count against Newton's system, rather than for it. A good system should depend on nature, not on other parts of the system. Compare changing a rule of chess.

The 41 ideas from 'Principia Mathematica'

18079 Newton developed a kinematic approach to geometry [Newton, by Kitcher]
17546 If you changed one of Newton's concepts you would destroy his whole system [Heisenberg on Newton]
6421 Newton's four fundamentals are: space, time, matter and force [Newton, by Russell]
13470 Mass is central to matter [Newton, by Hart,WD]
23012 Newtonian causation is changes of motion resulting from collisions [Newton, by Baron/Miller]
17008 You have discovered that elliptical orbits result just from gravitation and planetary movement [Newton, by Leibniz]
15866 Newton reclassified vertical motion as violent, and unconstrained horizontal motion as natural [Newton, by Harré]
15958 Inertia rejects the Aristotelian idea of things having natural states, to which they return [Newton, by Alexander,P]
20968 Newton's Third Law implies the conservation of momentum [Newton, by Papineau]
17547 Newton's idea of force acting over a long distance was very strange [Heisenberg on Newton]
20966 Newton introduced forces other than by contact [Newton, by Papineau]
20967 Newton's laws cover the effects of forces, but not their causes [Newton, by Papineau]
16708 Newton's forces were accused of being the scholastics' real qualities [Pasnau on Newton]
20969 Early Newtonians could not formulate conservation of energy, having no concept of potential energy [Newton, by Papineau]
22915 Newton needs intervals of time, to define velocity and acceleration [Newton, by Le Poidevin]
22893 Newton thought his laws of motion needed absolute time [Newton, by Bardon]
13593 Newton showed that falling to earth and orbiting the sun are essentially the same [Newton, by Ellis]
22954 Newtonian mechanics does not distinguish negative from positive values of time [Newton, by Coveney/Highfield]
17011 I suspect that each particle of bodies has attractive or repelling forces [Newton]
17010 We have given up substantial forms, and now aim for mathematical laws [Newton]
13153 I am studying the quantities and mathematics of forces, not their species or qualities [Newton]
17020 An attraction of a body is the sum of the forces of their particles [Newton]
17017 1: Bodies rest, or move in straight lines, unless acted on by forces [Newton]
17018 2: Change of motion is proportional to the force [Newton]
17019 3: All actions of bodies have an equal and opposite reaction [Newton]
17026 From the phenomena, I can't deduce the reason for the properties of gravity [Newton]
17025 If a perfect being does not rule the cosmos, it is not God [Newton]
17028 Particles mutually attract, and cohere at short distances [Newton]
17027 Science deduces propositions from phenomena, and generalises them by induction [Newton]
17024 The elegance of the solar system requires a powerful intellect as designer [Newton]
17022 We should admit only enough causes to explain a phenomenon, and no more [Newton]
17021 Natural effects of the same kind should be assumed to have the same causes [Newton]
17023 I am not saying gravity is essential to bodies [Newton]
17015 If there is no uniform motion, we cannot exactly measure time [Newton]
17012 Time exists independently, and flows uniformly [Newton]
17014 The place of a thing is the sum of the places of its parts [Newton]
17016 Philosophy must abstract from the senses [Newton]
17013 Absolute space is independent, homogeneous and immovable [Newton]
14012 Absolute time, from its own nature, flows equably, without relation to anything external [Newton]
18082 Quantities and ratios which continually converge will eventually become equal [Newton]
12724 The aim is to discover forces from motions, and use forces to demonstrate other phenomena [Newton]