After studying the alchemical works of Isaac Newton, the Economist John Maynard Keynes He stated, in 1942, that "Newton was not the first researcher of the age of reason, he was the last of the magicians."
And, in addition to the first-class scientific discoveries he made, Newton also made references to biblical exegesis (particularly the Apocalypse), alchemy and other pseudosciences and superstitions.
Not in vain, Newton believed that metals vegetate, that the entire cosmos/matter is alive and that gravity is caused by the emissions of an alchemical principle.
In a manuscript from 1704, Newton also describes his attempts to extract scientific information from the Bible and estimates that the world would end no earlier than 2060. After making the prediction, he noted: "I mention it not to affirm when the time of the end will come, but to put an end to the hasty conjectures of fanciful men who frequently predict the time of the end." , and in so doing they discredit sacred prophecies as often as their predictions fail.
In fact, Newton considered himself to be one of a select group of people who were specially chosen by God to the task of understanding biblical scriptures.
Alchemy
Alchemy is closely linked to natural philosophy. It was part of the ancient proto-scientific tradition. Some of the basic principles of alchemy are found within the concept of immortality and transmutation. So, alchemists avidly researched to develop a recipe that could adhere to these concepts. Because transmutation would help convert a base metal into a noble metal. Apart from this, there were studies on an elixir of immortality.
Among the total of 10 million of his words surviving in fire, More than 1 million words written by Newton focused on the topic of alchemy.
His work on alchemy came to light when his 17th-century manuscripts were made public. The physicist was looking for the stone that contains the answer to many alchemical mysteries. Above all, his manuscript details the procedure for making one of the critical elements of this stone.
For Newton, the philosopher's stone also embodied the perfect morganatic marriage between theological and philosophical truths. As a man of science and religion, that is not surprising.
His notes on the Philosopher's Stone
According to Newton, it was the philosopher's stone that kept the universe together and functioning. He believed it was omnipresent and without it, the universe would never have supported life. Furthermore, it was his obsession with this stone that helped him formulate one of the most popular theories in science: that of gravity. Newton related the matter that causes gravity to the philosopher's stone.
On the other hand, he was not the only fanatic pursuer of this coveted stone. Many eminent scientists of Newton's time worked to promote alchemy and find ways to solve this mystery.
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The news
Alchemy, biblical interpretation and other strange studies carried out by Isaac Newton
was originally published in
Xataka Science
by
Sergio Parra
.