Do I stand a chance of understanding the Principia Mathematica?

Question

The one that was written by Isac Newton. I am a 12th grader, and considering a major in physics.

Answer 1

Yes, but you need calculus first.

It would help to read Latin since that was the language of science at the time and it was written in Latin. But, you can read a translation and understand that.

Physics can be described by one formula F=ma (force = mass X acceleration). The problem is that this is true for a single instant in time. To figure out the behavior you need calculus.

The earth orbits the sun and is a classic problem of physics. But, it has an elliptical orbit. When the earth is getting closer to the sun it speeds up, when the earth is moving away from the sun it slows down. At the farthest point in its orbit it is moving as slow as it ever does. You can use F=ma to find the speed of the earth at one single instant of time, but to track it and predict what it will do requires a mathematical expression that changes in a specific pattern called a function. This is where calculus starts.

When Isaac Newton invented Physics he had to invent calculus to do the math that it required. You can't have one without the other. You can cheat and approximate physics with algebra, but that is a step to understanding calculus and you need calculus to understand all of physics.

The slope of a line on a graph is called a function. If you pushed an object with a force along that line then physics and the graph of that function explains how the object will behave. When you have a parabola you have a more difficult function, when you have an ellipse the function becomes more difficult, when you include the value of a changing strength of gravity due to distance then you have an incredibly complex function. The only math that can handle that is calculus.

A 12th grader is working with algebra which is like the handle of a hammer is to calculus. You need to know algebra first. Then you need to understand trigonometry which is the math of graphs and functions; compared to calculus it would be like the wedge that forces the wooden handle to expand to hold the head of the hammer. Then you need to understand analytical geometry which is an introduction to calculus. Once you get past that then you can study calculus.

To understand algebra you have to know what a number is and what a variable is. You also have to understand how to add, subtract and multiply. Adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing are called operands. They are operations that you perform on numbers. When you progress to calculus you learn new operands; derivative and integral. These are the fundamental ways to manipulate calculus equations. You need this to understand the physics as Newton wrote them.

I could have gotten that far in high school, but math was tough for me so it wasn’t until I entered college that I tried calculus and that was hard for me. Algebra was difficult for me, calculus was very hard. Simple adding and subtracting is to algebra like algebra is to calculus.

I took college level physics courses, a course of fluid dynamics, and a course on structure and stress analysis. The last two were just more complex forms of physics, and physics is all based on F=ma.

You are climbing a tree to understand the bible of physics; Isaac Newton’s Principia Mathematica. Currently you are reaching the lower branches, while in grade school you started at the bottom of the tree. You need to get higher in the tree to understand the physics and the math involved. You can do it, ALL engineers have to get that far. If you want to understand physics then the practical application is a form of engineering. So that is where you need to direct your studies. There is one exception; computers. Programming is a different evolution, but computers make the math of calculus something that can be done quickly and easily. To write the program you need the understanding of an engineer.

You have heard the expression that a difficult subject can be as hard as rocket science. Rocket science is just physics; really advanced physics, engineering and chemistry. But, it is all based in physics.

There are a lot of engineering trades and a lot of math and physics is used in engineering. If you want to understand the contents of the Principia Mathematica then you are on your way to being either a physicist or an engineer and you need calculus. It is an obtainable goal, but an hard on that will probably require college.

The thing is once you understand calculus it all falls into place and standard physics becomes real simple.

Answer 2

It is not if you win or loose but how you play the game. All the good old boys in DC are the same no matter if they ride an elephant or a mule. Ron Paul stands for something different than the status quo on Capital Hill. I will vote for him AGAIN this time in the primary. I will also continue to vote against anyone who is currently in office. My vote may not count to change the outcome but it is the kind of protest that those guys understand. Win, Loose or Draw A vote for Ron Paul is a statement, that I am fed up with the same old thing.

Answer 3

you can try to understand the concept but the mathematics is really advanced so i doubt reading the actual principia will help as it's mainly pure mathematics and thought experiments.

Answer 4

It's actually not that bad. Everything is clearly derived, so you should be able to follow pretty well. I can tell you that you really won't need to read it as a physics major.