Philosophy
Yes, NOVA [ "Newton's Dark Secrets"--transcript ] had a special [highly dramatized] program on Newton and his interest in alchemy.
Sir Isaac Newton, an icon of scientific revelation, led a secret life as a scholar of the mysterious art of alchemy. For the last six years, William Newman has been exploring that hidden life and bringing it to light. Newman is Distinguished Professor of history and philosophy of science in the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University Bloomington.
Alchemy, a 17th-century discipline that sought to change metals into gold and discover an elixir of life, among other things, was often called "chymistry" in its time. Newman produces "The Chymistry of Isaac Newton," an interdisciplinary project that provides new research on Newton's chymistry career. Newman's project is supported by the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
"The Chymistry of Isaac Newton" project team has just announced the release of 23 edited alchemical manuscripts written by Isaac Newton. This is the first time these documents have been released to the public.
"The Chymistry of Isaac Newton" website, at http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/newton/ , also now details how Newton's optical discoveries, which radically transformed millenia-old theories of light and color, interacted with his alchemy. Manuscripts written by Newton reveal that Newton's analysis and synthesis of white light by means of prisms owe an unsuspected debt to his chymistry.
"Newton was a committed alchemist for 30 years," Newman said, "but he kept his activities in this realm largely hidden from his contemporaries and colleagues, so his alchemical work has been imperfectly known."
Newman and project members translated, edited and explicated the manuscripts, which include laboratory notebooks and other documents. The edited manuscripts are fully word-searchable, and the project website combines the edited texts with laboratory replications of Newton's experiments.
Thanks in large part to Newman's efforts, which have been widely featured in places such as Nova and the BBC, Newton's involvement in alchemy is becoming more widely understood.
"'The Chymistry of Isaac Newton' provides not only a unique window into the mind of a creative genius, but also reveals the full breadth of the material culture and technology of the 'chymistry' upon which Newton drew," says Newman.
The project's ultimate goal is to provide complete annotations for Newton's manuscripts and comprehensive interactive tools for working with the texts. To date, more than 600 pages have been edited and are available online, including Newton's most complete laboratory notebook, Portsmouth Collection Add. MS. 3975, found at Cambridge University.
Visitors to the site may also search for Newton's graphic alchemical symbols, some of which represent exotic formulas such as "the Green Lyon," "the Star Regulus of Antimony," and "the Caducean Rod of Mercury." These symbols were the common stock of early modern alchemy, and Newton made full use of them.
Newman and his collaborators have replicated alchemical processes taken from Newton's "Dictionary of Alchemical Terms." Using a primitive charcoal-burning furnace and modern reproductions of period glassware, project members manufactured "oil of vitriol" (sulfuric acid), "aqua fortis" (mostly nitric acid), and "spirit of salt" (hydrochloric acid). These experiments, carried out with the cooperation of the Department of Chemistry at IU Bloomington, are documented with photographs on the project website.
Partners in "The Chymistry of Isaac Newton" project include the IU Digital Library Program, the Institute for Digital Arts and Humanities, the School of Library and Information Science, and the Chemistry and History and Philosophy of Science departments at IU Bloomington.
For more information on The Chymistry of Isaac Newton project, see http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/newton/.
- Newton's Spooky Coat Of Arms
After Isaac Newton was knighted by Queen Anne in 1705 he adopted an unusual coat of arms: a pair of human tibiæ crossed on a black background, like a pirate flag without the skull. After some general reflections on Newton’s monumental scientific achievements...
- Newton's Theological Texts Online
"Israeli library uploads Newton's theological texts"byAron HellerFebruary 15th, 2012The Associated PressHe's considered to be one of the greatest scientists of all time. But Sir Isaac Newton was also an influential theologian who applied a scientific...
- An Interview With I. Newton
An amusing narrative... Some years ago I happened to be listening to a lecture given by Gregory Chaitin on what he called as ”digital philosophy.” In the following night, just before falling asleep, I was lying on my bed wondering what Isaac Newton,...
- Newton And Early Chemistry
"Moonlighting as a Conjurer of Chemicals" by Natalie Angier October 11th, 2010 The New York Times Sir Isaac Newton was a towering genius in the history of science, he knew he was a genius, and he didn’t like wasting his time. Born on Dec. 25, 1642,...
- "isaac Newton And Physics For Kids"--book Review
"Isaac Newton and Physics for Kids" by Kathy Ceceri June 26th, 2010 Wired A lot of nonfiction for kids in upper elementary and middle school is what I think of as “book report books.” They’re packed with facts, but not presented in a way that...
Philosophy
Newton's alchemy
Yes, NOVA [ "Newton's Dark Secrets"--transcript ] had a special [highly dramatized] program on Newton and his interest in alchemy.
"IU team reveals secret life of Isaac Newton on new website"
June 14th, 2010
Indiana University
June 14th, 2010
Indiana University
Sir Isaac Newton, an icon of scientific revelation, led a secret life as a scholar of the mysterious art of alchemy. For the last six years, William Newman has been exploring that hidden life and bringing it to light. Newman is Distinguished Professor of history and philosophy of science in the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University Bloomington.
Alchemy, a 17th-century discipline that sought to change metals into gold and discover an elixir of life, among other things, was often called "chymistry" in its time. Newman produces "The Chymistry of Isaac Newton," an interdisciplinary project that provides new research on Newton's chymistry career. Newman's project is supported by the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
"The Chymistry of Isaac Newton" project team has just announced the release of 23 edited alchemical manuscripts written by Isaac Newton. This is the first time these documents have been released to the public.
"The Chymistry of Isaac Newton" website, at http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/newton/ , also now details how Newton's optical discoveries, which radically transformed millenia-old theories of light and color, interacted with his alchemy. Manuscripts written by Newton reveal that Newton's analysis and synthesis of white light by means of prisms owe an unsuspected debt to his chymistry.
"Newton was a committed alchemist for 30 years," Newman said, "but he kept his activities in this realm largely hidden from his contemporaries and colleagues, so his alchemical work has been imperfectly known."
Newman and project members translated, edited and explicated the manuscripts, which include laboratory notebooks and other documents. The edited manuscripts are fully word-searchable, and the project website combines the edited texts with laboratory replications of Newton's experiments.
Thanks in large part to Newman's efforts, which have been widely featured in places such as Nova and the BBC, Newton's involvement in alchemy is becoming more widely understood.
"'The Chymistry of Isaac Newton' provides not only a unique window into the mind of a creative genius, but also reveals the full breadth of the material culture and technology of the 'chymistry' upon which Newton drew," says Newman.
The project's ultimate goal is to provide complete annotations for Newton's manuscripts and comprehensive interactive tools for working with the texts. To date, more than 600 pages have been edited and are available online, including Newton's most complete laboratory notebook, Portsmouth Collection Add. MS. 3975, found at Cambridge University.
Visitors to the site may also search for Newton's graphic alchemical symbols, some of which represent exotic formulas such as "the Green Lyon," "the Star Regulus of Antimony," and "the Caducean Rod of Mercury." These symbols were the common stock of early modern alchemy, and Newton made full use of them.
Newman and his collaborators have replicated alchemical processes taken from Newton's "Dictionary of Alchemical Terms." Using a primitive charcoal-burning furnace and modern reproductions of period glassware, project members manufactured "oil of vitriol" (sulfuric acid), "aqua fortis" (mostly nitric acid), and "spirit of salt" (hydrochloric acid). These experiments, carried out with the cooperation of the Department of Chemistry at IU Bloomington, are documented with photographs on the project website.
Partners in "The Chymistry of Isaac Newton" project include the IU Digital Library Program, the Institute for Digital Arts and Humanities, the School of Library and Information Science, and the Chemistry and History and Philosophy of Science departments at IU Bloomington.
For more information on The Chymistry of Isaac Newton project, see http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/newton/.
- Newton's Spooky Coat Of Arms
After Isaac Newton was knighted by Queen Anne in 1705 he adopted an unusual coat of arms: a pair of human tibiæ crossed on a black background, like a pirate flag without the skull. After some general reflections on Newton’s monumental scientific achievements...
- Newton's Theological Texts Online
"Israeli library uploads Newton's theological texts"byAron HellerFebruary 15th, 2012The Associated PressHe's considered to be one of the greatest scientists of all time. But Sir Isaac Newton was also an influential theologian who applied a scientific...
- An Interview With I. Newton
An amusing narrative... Some years ago I happened to be listening to a lecture given by Gregory Chaitin on what he called as ”digital philosophy.” In the following night, just before falling asleep, I was lying on my bed wondering what Isaac Newton,...
- Newton And Early Chemistry
"Moonlighting as a Conjurer of Chemicals" by Natalie Angier October 11th, 2010 The New York Times Sir Isaac Newton was a towering genius in the history of science, he knew he was a genius, and he didn’t like wasting his time. Born on Dec. 25, 1642,...
- "isaac Newton And Physics For Kids"--book Review
"Isaac Newton and Physics for Kids" by Kathy Ceceri June 26th, 2010 Wired A lot of nonfiction for kids in upper elementary and middle school is what I think of as “book report books.” They’re packed with facts, but not presented in a way that...