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Religion:
Newton was a the stepson of a Protestant
reverend. His work in alchemy was heavily influenced by
his strong Unitarian beliefs. Newton vehemently detested
Catholics and protested quite publicly when James II tried to secure a
Masters of Arts degree for a Benedictine. Newton represented Trinity
University in this affair.
Nemeses:
Tycho Brahe was a
nobleman of the sixteenth century. He devoted his studies to astronomy.
Tycho gained fame through his book on supernovas, although there are
many other aspects of his life that stand out. He lost part of his
nose in a duel during his youth. His untimely death was due to a
self-inflicted urinary infection. He was under the impression
that it was rude to leave the table before the baron so he "held
it," and died two weeks later as a result. Newton and
Tycho's predecessor Kepler were known to bump heads on occasion.
It seems that neither of them appreciated healthy competition.
Robert Hooke was a
physicist who published his works during the late seventeenth
century. He claimed that much of Newton's work was his own or at
least heavily influenced by him. Newton and Hooke did much
to publicly defame each other.
John Flamsteed asked Newton
to look over his research concerning the moon. He would let
Newton review his work only if Newton agreed not to show or discuss
the findings with anyone. Newton thought that Flamsteed's demands
were "covetous" and subsequently refused to speak to him.
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
was a originally a diplomat for Germany. During his term in
Paris, he met several of the scholars of the day. He started
working calculus in order to alleviate some of the problems his
friends encountered. He and Newton published their papers on
calculus within a few months of each other. Newton had
originally given the Royal Society a coded draft of his mathematical
findings. When Leibniz published his work soon after, Newton
claimed that it was plagiarized. Leibniz's formulas were easier
to understand and use than those of Newton. However, the dispute
divided the scholarly world and several members of the Royal Society
continued to use Newton's formulas until the nineteenth century.
Friends, Family, and Admirers:
After the death of his mother
and step-father, Sir Isaac Newton had very little contact with his
family. His niece Catherine Barton was the only family member
whose company Newton really enjoyed. His daughter was an
infamously "charming woman" and her beauty is rumored to have
helped Newton's political connections. It is quite likely
that Ms. Barton was the lover of Charles Montague, who appointed Newton as head of the Mint.
After fleeing from France
in order to avoid a duel with ************, Voltaire discovered England and English
science. He was particularly enamored by the works of
Newton. Voltaire never met Newton, but the fable of the falling
apple supposedly originated with Voltaire.
Edmond Halley and Newton
were contemporaries whose work influenced each other. Halley
consulted Newton about the orbits of celestial bodies. Halley
very publicly supported Newton's research.
John Locke and Newton were
very close friends. They shared common interests such as
chemistry and religion. Newton's letters to Locke reveal an
openness that is not found in his other correspondence. Locke's
political influences ensured Newton's appointment as Warden of the
Mint.
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Warden of the Mint:
In 1696, Newton quit Trinity College for London
to become Warden of the Mint. Charles Montague appointed Newton to
the position. In 1670, Newton became the Master of the Mint after
Thomas Neale died. This time in Newton's life was truly the commencement
of his public career.
Trinity College:
Newton matriculated at Trinity College in the
summer of 1661. During his days as sub-sizar (an undergrad not of
noble origins), Newton was known to
gamble and frequent taverns. In 1664, he was elected to a
scholarship that would permit him to become a Fellow, as he did in
1668. Newton was elected to the Lucasian Chair of Mathematics in
1669. He remained at Trinity until 1696. Newton, like
Galileo, saw pupils as a necessary travail and preferred research. He had a total of three
students, during his thirty year career at Trinity.
Royal Society:
Newton was first elected to the Royal Society in
1672. His first papers were submitted and published by the society
a month later. He resigned a year later, claiming that the members
of the Royal Society pressured him to publish too much. Newton had
minimal contacts with the society until 1697 when he became a councilmen
of the society. He was elected president in 1703.
Political Career:
Newton was first elected to Parliament in 1689. He withheld his
candidature for the 1690 Parliament and did not stand again for
Parliament until 1701. The only year in which he was not elected
was 1705.
Newton was knighted by Queen
Anne in 1705. He was the first scientist to be knighted.
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