General Scholium

The General Scholium following Section reports detailed decay-rate data for an impressive range of experiments, including different size bobs in air and bobs moving as well in water and mercury.

Newton's Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica Smith, George 2007

Other than these two passages, the only notable remark about methodology is the famous passage, quoted earlier, from the General Scholium added in the second edition as a final, parting statement:

Newton's Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica Smith, George 2007

This aspect remained somewhat tacit in the first edition, but then, in response to criticisms it received, was made polemically explicit in the General Scholium added at the end of the second edition:

Newton's Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica Smith, George 2007

In addition to these, two changes were made that were more polemical than substantive: Newton added the General Scholium following Book 3 in the second edition, and his editor Roger Cotes provided a long anti-Cartesian (and anti-Leibnizian) Preface.

Newton's Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica Smith, George 2007

In the General Scholium, which was added to the Mathematical Principles in 1713, after having stated that a system as beautiful as the solar system must be "under the dominion of One," goes on to consider the nature of this being:

Newton against the Trinity 2006

Rather, when Newton wrote the General Scholium there was no independent empirical evidence to support the relevant causal explanations of gravity, so they remained merely hypothetical.

Newton's Philosophy Janiak, Andrew 2006

In the General Scholium, hypotheses non fingo concerns the postulation of a cause for gravity.

Newton's Philosophy Janiak, Andrew 2006

In the General Scholium inserted at the end of the second edition of his Mathematical Principles of Natu - ral Philosophy, Newton said:

Dictionary of the History of Ideas EDWARD ROSEN 1968