![]() To put this discovery together, I needed to know a little bit about physics, but I also needed to know a little bit about language and logic, and about the history of science. This is a great example of how philosophy helps make connections between different areas. ![]() In philosophy, you’re encouraged to stay curious about a number of things. How does your reinterpretation of Newton's first law bridge the gap between the sciences and the humanities? Newton’s point was that objects, which are constantly being pulled and pushed, only diverge from their motions to the extent that these external forces make them. And if you think of a rolling apple, it will keep on rolling except insofar as forces prevent it from doing so. Newton says a top just keeps on spinning and spinning and spinning except insofar as resistance forces prevent it from doing so. One example – and this is Newton’s own example from his book, “Principia” – is the spinning top. My reinterpretation of Newton’s law impacts all real-world objects. Since my discovery broke, I get emails every day from physics teachers, high school students, and university students who are all puzzled about the exact same thing I've been puzzled about for a very long time. And actually, that turns out to be true of a lot of people. The way I was taught Newton's first law in physics class in school never really made sense to me. In a nutshell, can you explain how your reinterpretation of Newton's first law changes our understanding of classical mechanics, and why is this reinterpretation important for the field of physics? And what really excites me most are questions that connect the dots between these different areas. And perhaps the only reason why I ended up pursuing philosophy rather than physics was that I'm also very interested in other things, such as language, mathematics, and all sorts of mysteries of the mind. I have been interested in physics ever since I was a kid. In fact, for most of its history, science just was philosophy. People often think that philosophy has nothing to do with science, but actually, philosophy and science have everything to do with each other. What was the motivation behind your decision to delve into the study of this foundational scientific concept from a philosophical perspective? Many people might not expect a philosopher to play such a pivotal role in reinterpreting Newton's first law. Since announcing his finding, Hoek has spoken with educators and media outlets around the world, including an interview with Scientific American.įrom his office in Major Williams Hall, Hoek answered four questions about his passion for philosophy, physics, and Sir Isaac Newton. “But it actually makes a huge difference, because this law applies to objects in the real world.” Now, this detail “may seem like a little hairsplitting thing,” said Hoek. ![]() The original Latin wording of the law states that a body at rest remains at rest, and a body in motion remains in motion, at constant speed and in a straight line, except insofar as it is acted on by external forces – not “unless acted on.” Then came a breakthrough discovery: Newton’s First Law has been misinterpreted for the last 336 years. Now a philosopher at Virginia Tech, Hoek’s curiosity about Newton’s law has only grown stronger.īlending his love of both philosophy and physics, Hoek pored over the different translations of Newton’s work. Scientists and other theorists have long puzzled over this point, but never reached a conclusion that satisfied Hoek. ![]() Everything in the universe is constantly being pushed, pulled, kicked, or acted on by other objects thanks to gravity. ![]() All objects are subject to external forces. The law seems to make an exception for bodies that are subject to external forces. Hoek had been perplexed by the law’s wording ever since his high school days in the Netherlands. Written in Latin, the first law is typically translated to state “a body at rest remains at rest, and a body in motion remains in motion, at constant speed and in a straight line, unless acted on by an external force.” Newton published his laws of motion in 1687. He had an epiphany: could the force pulling the apple from the tree be the same as the force keeping the moon in orbit? While resting beneath a tree, Newton watched an apple shake from a branch and fall to the ground. Like most high schoolers in intro to physics class, Dan Hoek heard the legendary tale of Isaac Newton and the apple. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |