Never at Rest A Biography of Isaac Newton [Paperback]

This richly detailed 1981 biography captures both the personal life and the scientific career of Isaac Newton.Destined to become the standard biography of Isaac Newton, this meticulously detailed work is focused on his scientific career, but also deals with every facet of his life. It presents an encompassing picture of Newton--the man, scientist, philosopher, theologian and public figure.Destined to become the standard biography of Isaac Newton, this meticulously detailed work is focused on his scientific career, but also deals with every facet of his life. It presents an encompassing picture of Newton--the man, scientist, philosopher, theologian and public figure.This richly detailed 1981 biography captures both the personal life and the scientific career of Isaac Newton, presenting a fully rounded picture of Newton the man, the scientist, the philosopher, the theologian, and the public figure. Professor Westfall treats all aspects of Newton's career, but his account centres on a full description of Newton's achievements in science. Thus the core of the work describes the development of the calculus, the experimentation that altered the direction of the science of optics, and especially the investigations in celestial dynamics that led to the law of universal gravitation.Preface; Acknowledgments; A note about dates; Abbreviations used in footnotes; 1. The discovery of a new world; 2. A sober, silent, thinking lad; 3. The solitary scholar; 4. Resolving problems by motion; 5. Anni mirabiles; 6. Lucasian professor; 7. Publication and crisis; 8. Rebellion; 9. Years of silence; 10. Principia; 11. Revolution; 12. The Mint; 13. President of the Royal Society; 14. The priority dispute; 15. Years of decline; Bibliographical essay; List of illustrations; Index. The hallmarks are impeccable detail and clarity...The copious footnotes, for example, generally refer to original manuscripts, letters and memoranda that are out of reach of most students and scholars. The superb qual32