Week Eight: Classical Physics

Newton's Three Laws and Frances




I tell myself not to be afraid of Newton's Three Laws. Though I identify with my Capricorn nature, I also feel tethered to a sometimes uncomfortable earth where the three laws of physics described by Newton show themselves. I don't like to get hit by hurling objects, such as when "two objects interact, say in a collision" exerting equal amounts of force on one another (Newton's third law). The matter of world, and my soft human parts living amongst it, seems awfully dangerous sometimes. Not to mention a little irritating at other times -- tripping on a shoelace, dropping keys in a sewer grate, bumping my head on a sharp edge. Hauling things around this place also feels like an uncomfortable chore at times -- I don't much enjoy moving my stuff from one home to another, for example. All those boxes of books add up to a lot of heavy weight to lift. They do not move themselves (Newton's first law -- objects at rest remain at rest and a force must be applied to change the state of motion of an object).

So. Newton's laws are kind of a drag sometimes. I think a lot of people feel this way, and therefore have invented ways in which to use these same laws to help out with the heavy lifting our lifestyles and this earth seem to require (tow trucks, dollies, back hoes, etc.). My spirit knows differently, however, and moving my body in concert with these laws can feel exhilarating and energizing (running several miles, dancing around, the crack of a bat on a baseball, having sex, etc.).

The other world of imagination, spirit, quantum mechanics, appeals much more to me. It is, I think, the world of energy, whereas Newton's world concerns itself with matter. I love the wide open possibilities in the other world. The surprises and the magic of connection possible in the "other world" where it seems anything is possible.

I want to say something else about Newton's ideas. The scientific method that he presented in Principia Mathematica reminds me of the kinds of things that teenagers might exert to their parents. If human history can be viewed like one long life, taken collectively, then I would propose that beginning in Newton's time we were adolescents (and might be on the verge right now of growing out of this stage). His rules of scientific reasoning basically seem to be saying "I want to validate my OWN experience and will believe only what I carry out on my own, and I will build my own world and beliefs from MY observations and you can't tell me anything different, unless you can prove it to me." Only now do we seem to be confident enough to acknowledge that perhaps some of the old wisdom was good and true, and that maybe our elders knew a thing or two.

One more thing. I don't want to place judgement on our adolescent stage. Breaking things down into parts one can understand the world through its tiniest bits -- it reminds me of the first stanza of the WIlliam Blake poem "Auguries of Innocence":

To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.

Our Energy Efficient Culture

I am repelled by this topic of energy use in the U.S. because I feel ashamed of our collective habits. "Energy efficiency" seems like kind of joke to me, especially with population continuing to rise and more and more regions around the world growing comfortable with Western-style consumption. As long as numbers of people consuming energy continues to rise, even if products are becoming more "efficient," we will continue to use energy at an unsustainable rate. The answer seems to be to just stop using so much. Reduction instead of efficiency?

Descartes has a lot to answer for!

My opinion of Descartes impact on our culture is similar to what I wrote above about Newton. I think it may have been a necessary step toward our growth. Again, for some coincidental reason, I am reminded of William Blake and the "innocence experience innocence" idea of our life cycle. We are born innocent, travel through experiences and lose that innocence temporarily, and in the end return to innocence, but this time consciously and with wisdom. Blake believed that true inncence was impossible without experience. We berate ourselves for the destructive path we have trod down like bulldozers, and place blame on thinkers like Descartes who led the way through the realm of experience, but without Newton and Descartes we would not be on our way to a higher innocence, one that is hard won as we fumble around in the darkness trying to find the light switch.

The Angel

I dreamt a dream! What can it mean?
And that I was a maiden Queen
Guarded by an Angel mild:
Witless woe was ne'er beguiled!

And I wept both night and day,
And he wiped my tears away;
And I wept both day and night,
And hid from him my heart's delight.

So he took his wings, and fled;
Then the morn blushed rosy red.
I dried my tears, and armed my fears
With ten-thousand shields and spears.

Soon my Angel came again;
I was armed, he came in vain;
For the time of youth was fled,
And grey hairs were on my head.

William Blake