Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica

Principia is a Latin book published by Isaac Newton in 1687, and its official title is Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica ("Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy"). This book is a representative masterpiece in the history of human science that established the foundation of classical mechanics, and became a decisive turning point for the modern scientific revolution.

 

 Main contents and structure

·  Consists of 3 volumes (Books)

o Volume 1: Basic mechanics principles such as the laws of motion and mass, force, and momentum

o Volume 2: Fluid mechanics, resistance, and practical applications of motion

o Volume 3: Celestial mechanics and the law of universal gravitation, explanation of the motion of planets and satellites

 

• Completion of the Scientific Revolution: Principia is evaluated as a work that synthesized and completed the scientific revolution that led to Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, etc.

 

• Unification of the laws of nature: It was the first to prove that celestial and terrestrial phenomena can be explained by the same mathematical laws.

 • Starting point of modern physics: It had a great influence on numerous scientists including Laplace, Lagrange, and Einstein.

 

• Combination of experiments and mathematics: It presented a typical example of ‘exact science’ that combined empirical observation and mathematical argument.

 

 Summary

• Principia is a book that mathematically explains the order of the universe and nature through Newton’s laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation.

• It is the greatest scientific work of mankind that laid the foundation of modern science, and its influence continues to this day.