The things that so often vexed the minds of the ancient philosophers
And fruitlessly disturb the schools with noisy debate
We see right before our eyes, since mathematics drives away the clouds
Error and doubt no longer encumber us with mist;
For the Keenness of a sublime intelligence has made it possible for us to enter
The dwellings of the gods above and to climb the heights of heaven.
- Excerpt from Halley's ode to Newton
I think this excerpt presents some of the serious idealogical consequences of Newton's view that the Romantics (and I would wager many PLS students including myself) are afraid of, but is there good reason to be? I think this passage (and the entire poem) can be interpreted to say that mathematics has replaced philosophy and that we are able to know the mind of God through it. I think this would be hard to argue against, but what Im not convinced about is whether Halley sees no place for philosophy. Do you think that Halley believes that philosophy is only replaced when it comes to natural science, or does the Newtonian mechanistic approach to the world apply to all things?
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