Isaac Newton's Scientific Method

William L. Harper is Professor Emeritus at the University of Western Ontario, where he has taught since 1970. He has held positions as a visiting Professor at the University of Pittsburgh, Princeton University, and the California Institute of Technology. From 2002 to 2005 he served as President of the Canadian Society for History and Philosophy of Science, having served as First Vice President from 1999 to 2001. He has also served twice on the Governing Board of the Philosophy of Science Association, and was Representative of the Association of Symbolic Logic to the American Association for the Advancement of Science between 1982 and 1988.

• Preface ; Acknowledgements ; 1. An Introduction to Newton's Scientific Method ; 2. Newton's Phenomena ; 3. Inferences from Phenomena (Propositions 1 and 2 Book 3) ; 4. Unification and the Moon-Test (Propositions 3 and 4 Book 3) ; 5. Christiaan Huygens: A great Natural Philosopher who measured gravity and an illuminating foil for Newton on method ; 6. Unification and the Moon-test: Critical Assessment ; 7. Generalization by Induction (Propositions 5 and 6 Book 3) ; 8. Gravity as a Universal Force of Interaction (Propositions 7- 13 Book 3) ; 9. Beyond Hypotheses: Newton's Methodology vs. Hypothetico-Deductive Methodology ; 10. Newton's Methodology and the Practice of Science ; Bibliography ; Index

This is a contribution to the history of astronomy that is exceptionally thorough, well-documented and presented. It might not be easy going for the average astronomer or physicist, but I should imagine anyone interested in Newtons great achievements and seventeenth century science should spend some time understanding Professor Harpers arguments and analysis. I came away from it even more impressed with the subtlety of Newtons thought and the greatness of his achievements.