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Glite Dictionary
Newtonianism

Newtonianism

8.5
A set of ideas about motion and gravity based on Isaac Newton's work
  • noun
  • /njuːˈtoʊniənɪzəm/
translation icon : newtonianismo
  • Marjorie Hope Nicolson aligns Young with Newtonianism in Newton.

Examples

  • Those were the two lessons Calcutta Newtonianism taught.

  • Thus, Gamaches argued, it was essential for Cartesianism to resist Newtonianism on this point, namely on the idea of absolute space, unless it wanted to revert to Aristotelianism.

    Academic text (2016)

  • -- (n35) Derek Gjertsen, "Is Nature Conformable to Herself?" in Hegel and Newtonianism 645-55, at 647.

    Academic text (2009)

  • An example he doesn't mention: the inertness of matter was accepted as a centerpiece of Newtonianism despite being, in fact, unnecessary for Newton's work (cf. Priestley) because it served as a political metaphor.

    Blog text (10)

  • Many scientists today still adhere to Newtonianism for understanding classical mechanics.

  • The debate over Newtonianism versus quantum mechanics continues to shape scientific discourse.

  • In his lectures, the professor emphasized the significance of Newtonianism in the development of modern physics.

Surface Forms

Newtonianism singular
Newtonianisms plural

Morphology

Newtonianism = Newtonian (transparent) = Newton + ian + ism

Formed by the adjective 'Newtonian' (Newton + -ian) plus the productive noun-forming suffix '-ism'; the meaning (doctrine based on Newton) follows straightforwardly.

Etymology

Newtonianism comes from the name Newton (Isaac Newton) plus the endings -ian ('related to' or 'follower of') and -ism ('a system or belief'). Think of Newton and his famous apple: Newtonianism is the 'system of ideas' or way of thinking that follows Newton's laws, so it names the scientific principles based on his discoveries.