3 ms·

Is it fair to say that Newton was a professional mathematician and an amateur physicist?

• kstenerud 7y ago
  Amateur physicist, astronomer, author, and theologian.
  • ChainOfFools 7y ago
    and alchemist, which commanded the majority of his curiosity and written output.
    • kstenerud 7y ago
      ... at a time when alchemy (chymistry) and science were not yet fully distinct. Also, only a tenth of his written works deal with alchemy.
  • arethuza 7y ago
    Also Master of the Mint and undercover crime fighter
• pyrale 7y ago
  Not really. Academy back then was not really that diversified, and it was rare for people in the academy not to get involved in multiple philosophies. Newton would better be qualifies as a professional academic with interests in natural philosophy and mathematics.