Bethany+and+Erica

Sir Isaac Newton

By Bethany Lilly

Sir Isaac Newton is the English philosopher most famous for his law of universal gravitation. Newton was born on December 25, 1642 to a mother who didn’t want him. He grew up as a farmer but knew he was not meant for the life as one. In 1653 Newton began school at the Free Grammar School in Grantham, England. After going to school in Grantham he went to Trinity College Cambridge. At Trinity Newton learned of Aristotle’s philosophy, which began his idea of finding the truth. Newton also began reading Euclid’s //Elements//, and Descartes’ //La Geometrie// ; because he did not know as much about mathematics as he wanted to. In 1687 Newton published the //Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica//, in which he described how he thought the, “planets were attracted toward the Sun by a force varying as the inverse square of the distance and generalised that all heavenly bodies mutually attract one another.” (JOC/EFR) This book was responsible for getting his law of universal gravitation recognized by society. Because he was the first person to understand gravity, he was considered the greatest scientist of is time; and he was the first scientist to ever be knighted.

Robertson, O'Connor, E. F., J. J. (2000 January). Sir Isaac Newton. Retrieved August 7, 2009, from Newton Biography Web site: []

Descartes By: Stephanie Toscano



René Descartes a French Philosopher is known as the “ Father of modern Philosophy.” Born on March 31, 1596. Raised with his Maternal Grandmother. Descartes was known with disliking impractical subjects in school. He worked on may projects one of them was, “ Principals of Philosophy” where he uses a tree as a metaphor. “The roots are metaphysics…namely, medicine, mechanics and morals.” (ATNB 14: CSM I 186). He broke out tradition in two ways, First his rejection substantial forms as explanatory principles in physics. Second with his denial of the thesis that all knowledge most come from sensation. He paved the way for a new philosophy that broke away from the old in important way.

Sources: Justin Skirry Nebraska-Wesleyan University (2008) The internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy http://www.iep.utm.edu/d/descarte.htm