Did Netwton actually think "gravity " was "absurd"?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around Isaac Newton's views on gravity, particularly his characterization of it as "absurd" in the context of its action at a distance. Participants explore the implications of Newton's thoughts on gravity, its nature, and how these ideas relate to later theories, including those proposed by Einstein and Hawking.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Historical

Main Points Raised

  • One participant cites a passage where Newton expresses skepticism about the concept of innate gravity acting at a distance without contact, describing it as an "absurdity."
  • Another participant notes that while Newton treated gravity as an attractive force, he found the idea of such a force acting at a distance to be problematic, suggesting that gravity must be something beyond mere attraction.
  • A later reply acknowledges that Newton's insights predated Einstein's theories but emphasizes that the fundamental cause of gravity remained unresolved.
  • Another participant references Stephen Hawking's perspective on gravity, suggesting that until a quantum theory of gravity is established, the nature of gravity remains an open question.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing interpretations of Newton's views and the implications for understanding gravity. There is no consensus on the nature of gravity or the validity of Newton's assertions, indicating ongoing debate and exploration of the topic.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the unresolved nature of gravity's cause and the dependence on definitions of force and action at a distance. The discussion reflects a range of historical and theoretical perspectives without reaching definitive conclusions.

zanick
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TL;DR
In one of Newtons famous letters to Richard Bentley he talks about gravity as if it is "absurd".. is it the way in which he is speaking or referencing the letters sent to him by Bentley, or does he really think gravity is an "absurd concept?
http://www.google.it.ao/books?id=4q...=editions:ISBN0803974612&lr=&output=html_text
The last clause of the second position I like very well. It is inconceivable, that inanimate brute matter should, without the mediation of something else, which is not material, operate upon and affect other matter without mutual contact, as it must be, if gravitation, in the sense of Epicurus, be essential and inherent in it. And this is one reason why I desired you would not ascribe innate gravity to me. That gravity should be innate, inherent, and essential to matter, so that one body may act upon another at a distance through a vacuum, without the mediation of any thing else, by and through which their action and force may be conveyed from one to another, is to me so great an absurdity, that I believe no man, who has in philosophical matters a competent faculty of thinking, can ever fall into it. Gravity must be caused by an agent acting constantly according to certain laws; but whether this agent be material or immaterial, I have left to the consideration of my readers.​
 
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Newton was a genius of his time. He treated gravity as an attractive force between 2 objects , but found it absurd that two masses could attract each other and produce a non-contact force acting at a distance through space. That’s why he said gravity must be something else other than an attractive force at a distance( As if acting like a magnet.).

. Well he was right, proven later by the other genius, Einstein, that gravity is really spacetime curvature in the presence of mass and energy. Newton’s formulas however give extremely good results for non-relativistic cases.
 
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thanks for the reply... so, since he got it before Einstein, it doesn't take away from there being a force, or "non force", but the cause was left to be discovered.
 
Yes, but until a quantum of theory of gravity is discovered, the book is still open. The great late Stephen Hawking, a strong proponent of M-Theory, treated Gravity like a God (see his book , “ The Grand Design”).
 

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