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To: si tacuissem

"Newton's beliefs are absolutely irrelevant for the topic of evolution vs. ID as he was a creationist by default."

Newton emphasized in no uncertain terms his awe at the Creator and the Creation. He did not need to do that for any reason other than to express his genuine feelings and thoughts. He was a great scientist, arguably the greatest of all time. You ought to try to learn something from him.

I think you missed the point about the force equation. Note that

F = d(mv)/dt = m dv/dt + v dm/dt

where dm/dt could have relevance to relativistic change in mass with velocity. Again, I am not a physicist. I am just throwing this out for anyone who might be interested.


217 posted on 12/15/2006 3:29:05 PM PST by RussP
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To: RussP

Newton was also a fervent alchemist and spent virtually his whole career after the Principea seeking the "Philosophik Mercury" and trying to turn lead into gold.

He was also (by all reports) a jerk who kept his mathematical discoveries secret for decades before being forced to publish them when another scientist (Liebniz) was closing in on developing calculus seperately.

The fact that Newton was "in awe of the Creator" is an argument from authority (which Newton actually isn't in this case) and is a logical fallacy.

It's essentially the same argument as those who point to the reports of Darwin recanting on his deathbed as disproving evolution. (he didn't, and even if he did, it wouldn't prove or disprove a thing.)


219 posted on 12/15/2006 8:04:40 PM PST by 49th (Freedom is the distance between Church and State)
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To: RussP
Newton emphasized in no uncertain terms his awe at the Creator and the Creation

Many scientist do so...

I think you missed the point about the force equation. Note that F = d(mv)/dt = m dv/dt + v dm/dt

No, I didn't miss it. But Newton would be really annoyed that you used Leibniz' notation to make his point :-)

227 posted on 12/16/2006 1:24:45 PM PST by si tacuissem (.. lurker mansissem)
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