Calculus, also belief, was Re: [UA] Crosswords and Blue Teets

[Nick Wedig]

>   I think Newton's post-mathematical work, both as a Christian mystic and
>an enthusiastic and violent tax collector, is probably more UAble than his
>work on the calculus, myself.

There was an article in, I think, Smithsonian a few months ago about Newton's alchemical work.  Indeed, the materialists hated his initial theories of gravity, as he couldn't provide a physical cause for it (nor could anyone else until Einstein changed the rules) and left it to what the materialists called 'mystic forces' and the like.

>   It seems like at least half the people who've rung in on the belief
>issue are Catholic or ex-Catholic.  Does this imply something about the
>player base of UA?  Does it indicate that people raised Catholic are
>more likely to bring it up in conversation?  (And no, I'm not.  Just
>wondering.)

Being one myself (ex-, that is), I have no idea.  It does have some effects on my ideas about UA, but I'm not certain I could point them out, as I'm uncertain how others would approach it.

Mr. Teapot
recovering catholic

____________________________________________________
FREE Disinformation E-book - http://www.disinfo.com

_______________________________________________
UA mailing list
UA at lists.uchicago.edu
http://lists.uchicago.edu/mailman/listinfo/ua