Sir Isaac Newton—scientist, religionist, alchemist

By chance I am reading two books consecutively that present similar material from very different perspectives.

In 'The Case for God', Karen Armstrong presents a history of (mostly Western) society's perceptions of God. I'm now reading Bill Bryson's 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' which is basically a history of our understanding of science. There is of course some overlap and I'm glad to be reading both books to get a broader perspective.

Armstrong points out that 'in most pre-modern cultures, there were two recognised ways of thinking, speaking and acquiring knowledge. The Greeks called them mythos and logos. Both were essential and neither was considered superior to the other; they were not in conflict but complimentary. Each had its own sphere of competence and it was considered unwise to mix the two.'₁

Bryson's book is more interested in logos, our logical scientific thinking. Perhaps Armstrong is more sympathetic to mythos, a way of thinking which is not intended to be interpreted literally.

From time to time extremely intelligent people attempt to bring the two together. Such was the case of Sir Isaac Newton who 'wanted to create a universal science capable of interpreting the whole of human experience.'₁

Newton brought us so much understanding—'the slosh and roll of ocean tides, the motions of planets, why cannonballs trace a particular trajectory before thudding back to earth, why we aren't flung into space as the planet spins beneath us'₂. But Newton was also extremely eccentric—'brilliant beyond measure, but solitary, joyless, prickly to the point of paranoia, famously distracted…and capable of the most riveting strangeness'₂. (Read Bryson for more detail.)

Newton believed that the sun, planets and comets 'could only proceed from the counsel and domination of an intelligent and powerful Being'₃. 'He had hoped to provide a scientific proof for God's existence.'₁ He was trying to bring mythos and logos together. But, according to Bryson, 'at least half his working life was given over to alchemy and wayward religious pursuits.'₂ Apparently this brilliant man spent much of his time attempting to turn base metals into precious ones.

I'm quite fascinated by both of these books. I'm only touching the surface of each of them here. Perhaps, if time and inclination are conducive, I'll write a little more later.

1. Armstrong, Karen
The Case for God—what religion really means

The Bodley Head, 2009
Vintage, Random House, 2010

2. Bryson, Bill
A Short History of Nearly Everything

Doubleday, London, 2003
Black Swan, Transworld, London, 2004

3. Newton, Sir Isaac
Principia