Sunday, November 16, 2008
The Practical Ramifications of Science During Newton's Time
During Newton's time science was finally figuring out the rules of the Universe and Earth. Gravity was described, the laws of motion were written, light was being figured out, and the solar system and our place in the Universe was being defined. All of these things led to many devices that helped Europe in its expansion and control over a good part of the globe. With gravity and the laws of motion artillery and guns could be made more accurate through math and physics. Optics helped discover new lands through the use of eye pieces as well as peer into outer space with primitive telescopes.
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3 comments:
Newton wrote his Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy in the 17c. Europe already contolled a good part of the world (Americas, parts of India)at that point without the help of these developements.
Thats true Sarah, but if you look at the maps on page 244 in the book,you'll see that during the
18th century geographical knowledge, particulary of the Americas, advanced very much. No doubt this was due in part to scientific advances during Newton's time.
So we can say that the scientific advancement during the Newtonian period accelerated the already on-going European dominance over the world.
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