SIR Isaac Newton's scientific and non-scientific
writings are being brought together for the first time since his
death in 1727 by an online initiative based at Imperial College and
Cambridge University.
King's
College Cambridge manuscript featuring Newton's central articles of
religious belief, written circa 1710 |
Newton is universally acknowledged as one of the most influential
scientists in history and his achievements are fundamental to
modern mathematics and physics.
However, his papers show that Newton himself considered his
non-scientific writings to be of at least equal value.
The Newton Project website is launched next Wednesday with the
first set of transcribed theological papers uploaded to the web
site.
"Despite Newton's huge influence, no comprehensive edition of
his collective works has ever been compiled," explained Rob Iliffe,
Editorial Director of the Newton Project and reader in history of
science at Imperial.
"Very few of his non-scientific works have appeared in print,
and many are currently available to only a handful of scholars.
"The Newton Project aims to redress this by making available
online transcripts and digitised images of these texts, alongside
his mathematical and scientific papers, in time creating a
technologically sophisticated and free-to-access edition.
Newton's theological writings reveal outlooks considered deeply
heretical by mainstream Christianity. He held passionately
anti-trinitarian views, believing that the pivotal Council of
Nicæa in the 4th century had propounded false doctrines on
the nature of Christ, and had introduced non-Biblical language to
describe the relationship between the Son and the Father.
Although Newton privately demanded that people who shared his
own religious views should be tolerated by the state church, he
expressed strongly anti-Catholic sentiments and viewed it as an
idolatrous and persecutory faith whose ultimate demise was outlined
in the Apocalypse.
In 1687, shortly before he had finished writing his Principia,
he actively opposed King James II's attempt to Catholicise the
universities and other institutions.
"Taken as a whole, Newton's archive is one of the largest and
unquestionably one of the most exciting of anyone who lived before
the 20th century," added Rob.
"His theological and alchemical writings display the same
originality, learning and brilliance that is evident from his
better known work, and the Newton Project aims to make his entire
range of interests accessible to anyone with access to the
Internet.
"Newton's intellectual legacy is a crucial part of British and
indeed world heritage and with further financial support, this
website can become an unrivalled resource for studying the life and
work of any single individual.We aim to make this an exemplary
project for on-line editing in the twenty-first century."
The Newton Project website can be accessed at: www.newtonproject.ic.ac.uk/
