Nature is very consonant and conformable with herself

Nature is very consonant and conformable with herself

Isaac Newton, the renowned physicist and mathematician, was a firm believer in the idea that nature is very consonant and conformable with herself. This belief was central to his scientific endeavors and greatly influenced his groundbreaking work in the field of physics.

Newton's famous laws of motion and universal gravitation are prime examples of his belief in the harmony and consistency of nature. These laws describe the fundamental principles that govern the motion of objects in the universe, from the smallest particles to the largest celestial bodies. Newton observed that these laws apply universally and are consistent across all phenomena, leading him to conclude that nature is inherently orderly and predictable.

One of the key aspects of Newton's belief in the conformity of nature was his emphasis on the importance of empirical observation and experimentation. He famously stated, "I do not know what I may appear to the world, but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me." This quote reflects Newton's humility in the face of the vast complexity of the natural world, as well as his dedication to uncovering its hidden truths through careful observation and experimentation.

Newton's belief in the consonance of nature also extended to his work in optics, where he made significant contributions to the understanding of light and color. His experiments with prisms and lenses led him to develop the theory of color, which laid the foundation for modern optics. Newton's meticulous observations of the behavior of light and his ability to derive mathematical laws from these observations further reinforced his belief in the consistency and harmony of nature.