The World's Greatest Scientist
By George Konig
konig.org
Some time ago, we wrote a comment on the great scientists of the world and how they came to believe the earth was created by a super intelligence. To expound further on this subject, we came across some writings by, and about, Isaac Newton, who is considered by some to be world's greatest scientist.
To offer a summary of Newton and his work, here's a quote from a book, from the book From Darwin to Design by Dr. C.L. Cagan and Robert Hymers. Here in part is that chapter:
"Probably the greatest scientist who ever lived was an Englishman named Isaac Newton. He was born in 1642, so his youth was lived out during Puritan times. He died in 1727, eleven years before John Wesley was converted and the great Awakening of Protestant Christianity began. There was never a scientist greater than Issac Newton. Albert Einstein was not nearly as ingenious or creative." - From Darwin to Design by Dr. C. L. Cagan and Robert Hymers.
That book points out that Newton achieved scientific greatness at a very young age, 22, and that he did so without the aid of a computer, a calculator, or an Internet connection. He did it with his mind, aided by little more than a pen and some paper. With these tools, invented calculus. That alone would grant him a high honor in any hall of fame for scientists and mathematicians.
But Newton didn't stop there. He used the very system of mathematics that he himself had discovered and derived the law of gravity. He also did calculations that defined or characterized the movements of the terrestrial objects. And, again, he did not have the benefit of a calculator or computer. He relied on his brain.
Newton, among other things, wrote a book called Principia. In the conclusion of that book, he wrote:
"This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being. ... The Supreme God is a Being eternal, infinite, absolutely perfect ... And from his true dominion it follows that the true God is a living, intelligent, and powerful Being ; and, from his other perfections, that he is supreme, or most perfect. He is eternal and infinite, omnipotent and omniscient; that is, his duration reaches from eternity to eternity ; his presence from infinity to infinity ; he governs all things, and knows all things that are or can be done." - Principia, by Isaac Newton.
If you had read that to a person who wasn't familiar with Isaac Newton, he might think that it was written by a conservative Christian. But, the fact is, it was written by the person who quite possibly was the greatest scientist of all time. Newton's choice of words and phrasing, by the way, have some similarities to the Nicene Creed, which can be read at about-jesus.org/nicene-creed.htm, if you're interested.
It might be interesting to point out that Newton, by at least some accounts, was not a Christian, and so he cannot be safely accused of having a pro-Christian bias in his writings.
Although we cannot know what was truly in his heart and mind when he died, we do know that the greatest scientific mind that the world has ever known peered into the mechanics of the universe, with tools that he had to invent himself, and saw the handiwork of God.
Copyright © George Konig and konig.org
If you would like to learn more about Christianity, there's a summary description at about-jesus.org/cbasics.htm
By George Konig
10/21/2007
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