Sir Isaac Newton... IDEAS!

[rickvanr]

Hello

I'm doing a paper on Isaac Newton for European History 201 We need to look at a primary source and two secondary sources. For a primary source I'm going to use Principia. What would some good secondary sources be?

I'm going to the library tomorrow, so please let me know. Thanks

[Rend It]

Hello

I'm doing a paper on Isaac Newton for European History 201 We need to look at a primary source and two secondary sources. For a primary source I'm going to use Principia. What would some good secondary sources be?

I'm going to the library tomorrow, so please let me know. Thanks

A really good read for even general audiences is Nick Huggett's Space from Zeno to Einstein: Classic Readings with a Contemporary Commentary. Each chapter has original works, followed by Huggett discussing the original ideas from a modern perspective. Oh, and yes, there's a chapter on Newton.

Although I haven't read it, James Gleick has a book about Newton. If it's anything like his Chaos book, then it's probably very good.

[rickvanr]

Thank you for the suggestions!

Although, after looking the books up on amazon, I noticed they were published rather recently. What are the chances my university library will have the books?

Does anyone know of any older books that would cover the same subjects?

EDIT: The book by James Gleick is in neither library, and the other, by Nick Huggett is at the other campus' library, which is extremely out of the way.

What do you think of "Newton's Principia for the common reader" by S. Chandrasekhar?

I'm going to continue to search the library for other books as well.

[atif.muhammad]

do the stuff on his discovery of calculus and the other guy who worked on it as well in germany

[gwuMACaddict]

EDIT: The book by James Gleick is in neither library, and the other, by Nick Huggett is at the other campus' library, which is extremely out of the way.

they'll probably get it for you, have it delivered to your library. most schools do this...

[rickvanr]

do the stuff on his discovery of calculus and the other guy who worked on it as well in germany

Isn't that book Principia? I thought his main works were Optiks and Principia, and Optiks is about light.

they'll probably get it for you, have it delivered to your library. most schools do this...

I don't know if they'd do that. Either way, this is for a small project (4-6 pages) thats due on Monday.

[Rend It]

do the stuff on his discovery of calculus and the other guy who worked on it as well in germany

The other "guy" is Leibniz.

rickvanr, you could do interlibrary loan, but Monday doesn't give you enough time. The book by Chandrasekhar is probably a good bet, and perhaps you should hit Borders and see if you can find Gleick's book there. Or, since there are a multitude of things written about Netwon, you could just do a library search on the subject: "Newton" and hang out and sift through the stacks in that section for books that might work.

GoodLuck!

[rickvanr]

This is what I ended up taking out from the library

Primary source:
• The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy by Isaac Newton (english translation)

Secondary sources:
• The Elements of Newton's Philosophy by Voltaire (english translation)
• Newton's Dream by Marcia Sweet Stayer

What do you think? Should these be good?

[atif.muhammad]

Isn't that book Principia? I thought his main works were Optiks and Principia, and Optiks is about light.



I don't know if they'd do that. Either way, this is for a small project (4-6 pages) thats due on Monday.


do you really expect me to have read those books? im only 16?! i've just only started learning calculus. i had no idea he had even written them. but i'll probably read them in the future

[question fear]

The other "guy" is Leibniz.
The book by Chandrasekhar is probably a good bet, and perhaps you should hit Borders and see if you can find Gleick's book there.

GoodLuck!


there's another new bio of newton, i forget who wrote it, but any Borders will carry it.

[rickvanr]

Is Borders a book store in the US?

[question fear]

Is Borders a book store in the US?

yea. just realized you're in canada, there are no borders in canada...sorry. :( but yea, any bookstore would have it.

[rickvanr]

Hey

Anyone know any key/ important quotes from the Principia? What are the main important areas?

I'm thinking of covering 3 major points.

a) Gravity
b) Motion
c) Calculus

Hows that sound?