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Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science

Newton’s Principia and Philosophical Mechanics

Publication ,  Chapter
Brading, K
January 1, 2023

Newton’s Principia reconceptualizes rational mechanics and physics, and offers a novel unification of these heretofore distinct disciplines. In this paper, I argue for a reading of the Principia that insists on a strict distinction between the rational mechanics (in Books 1 and 2) and the physics (in Book 3), in which the Definitions and the Axioms/Laws play a surprising dual role that both distinguishes the rational mechanics from the physics and unifies them into a single project: a philosophical mechanics.

Duke Scholars

DOI

Publication Date

January 1, 2023

Volume

343

Start / End Page

163 / 195

Related Subject Headings

  • 5003 Philosophy
  • 5002 History and philosophy of specific fields
  • 2203 Philosophy
 

Citation

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Brading, K. (2023). Newton’s Principia and Philosophical Mechanics. In Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science (Vol. 343, pp. 163–195). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-41041-3_9
Brading, K. “Newton’s Principia and Philosophical Mechanics.” In Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science, 343:163–95, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-41041-3_9.
Brading K. Newton’s Principia and Philosophical Mechanics. In: Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science. 2023. p. 163–95.
Brading, K. “Newton’s Principia and Philosophical Mechanics.” Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science, vol. 343, 2023, pp. 163–95. Scopus, doi:10.1007/978-3-031-41041-3_9.
Brading K. Newton’s Principia and Philosophical Mechanics. Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science. 2023. p. 163–195.

DOI

Publication Date

January 1, 2023

Volume

343

Start / End Page

163 / 195

Related Subject Headings

  • 5003 Philosophy
  • 5002 History and philosophy of specific fields
  • 2203 Philosophy