Western Civilization II / Unit 5 WC2 0403 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Magic and Science Together: Newton the Alchemist
Captions available
The idea
Modern objectivity came later. Newton spent years on alchemy trying to transmute lead; astronomers cast horoscopes; magical formulas attributed to Hermes Trismegistus circulated among the learned. The urge to probe secrets, the anchor says, still produced discovery.
In practice
One man wrote the laws of motion and hunted the philosopher's stone.
Where people slip
They were scientists and magicians at once.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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