Overview

The symposium celebrates the 300th anniversary of the publication of Newton's 'Principia'. Appearing in 1687 after the pioneering work of Copernicus, Galileo, and Descartes, the 'Principia' represents the culmination of the Scientific Revolution.The symposium focuses on Newton's discoveries and their impact on the modern world in the light of recent historical, methodological, as well as scientific studies.The proceedings contain papers devoted to the intellectual context of the 'Principia' (analysis of ancient mechanics and middle-age physics) and to the problems of developing physics and its methods. The influence of post-Newtonian physics on Science will also be considered.In view of the 'revolutionary-evolutionary' controversy concerning the character of the development of science, some authors will undertake the interesting problem of whether physics will ever shake itself free from Newtonian methodology.Distinguishing features are: The Methodologically and ideologically diverse views on the 'Principia' and their influence on modern science and philosophy (from neo-Thomism to neo-Marxism, from science to art); The Reception of Newton's ideas in Central Europe (Poland, Habsburg's Monarchy); and the Intellectual context of the 'Principia' with special emphasis on the impact of Wittelo's little known study of optics.