Saturday, October 17, 2015

Describe Newton's view of God's relation to the universe.

Issac Newton held a monotheistic belief that supported his scientific understanding of the universe. For Newton, his scientific work and discoveries were not in contradiction to his theological beliefs. He believed, for example, that the three laws of motion that he is famous for articulating exist through the power of God. In Newton's understanding of theology and science, science functions as the manner in which people can understand how God has constructed the universe to function. According to Newton, the three laws of motion exist because God created them, and therefore, scientific discoveries do not nullify a belief in a deity. In fact, Newton hoped that his scientific illuminations of the workings of the universe would encourage a belief in God. Newton saw the perfect beauty and order of the universe as proof of a perfect, all-knowing God.
https://rsc.byu.edu/archived/converging-paths-truth/brief-survey-sir-isaac-newtons-views-religion


Isaac Newton viewed God as a watchmaker, the universe a clock. Newton stated that God had to insert energy and guidance into the system in order to keep the planets in motion. After God did this, nature moved according to predictable patterns and could even be explained through mathematical formulas. Newton was unique in this as he viewed God as taking an active role in maintaining the universe, while some other Enlightenment thinkers, such as Leibniz, viewed the universe as operating without the guidance of God.
Newton can be described as a deist with Christian leanings. He did not state that all natural phenomena are miracles, and yet he still viewed God as being active. Newton's thinking represents the thinking of a lot of Enlightenment thinkers of this time period. They knew that the universe operated according to set rules, yet they still maintained the traditional view that a higher power was guiding things.

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