- #1
Axiom_137
- 7
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While writing about some topics in science I came across the strange use of capitalization with certain words related to physics. (e.g. "Newtonian" and "galilean" )
I notice many people capitalize "Newtonian" wherever it is used. (Most spell-checkers will even mark the lower case version as incorrect.) Why such a word is always capitalized doesn't make sense.
When used in the word "Newtonian Revolution", the capitalization makes sense because the word is a name. However, when a fellow scientist recommends to "take a Newtonian approach to the problem", the word is being used as an adjective, not a name and does not need to be capitalized. (i.e. describing the type of approach) Would you capitalize "quantum" or "relativistic" when used in such a case?
I do not know why such habits of grammar are followed as the only reason I find to do so is that "everyone else does it"... unless a good reason is found to do otherwise.
I notice many people capitalize "Newtonian" wherever it is used. (Most spell-checkers will even mark the lower case version as incorrect.) Why such a word is always capitalized doesn't make sense.
When used in the word "Newtonian Revolution", the capitalization makes sense because the word is a name. However, when a fellow scientist recommends to "take a Newtonian approach to the problem", the word is being used as an adjective, not a name and does not need to be capitalized. (i.e. describing the type of approach) Would you capitalize "quantum" or "relativistic" when used in such a case?
I do not know why such habits of grammar are followed as the only reason I find to do so is that "everyone else does it"... unless a good reason is found to do otherwise.