Quick Overview

The quote, "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants," attributed to Sir Isaac Newton, highlights the paradox of his legacy. Newton himself is one of those giants, having profoundly influenced the monumental advances of the 20th century.

Revolutionizing entire fields of study is an achievement few manage, and even fewer are as multi-faceted as Newton, whose contributions to mathematics and physics are unparalleled. In this exploration of his formative years, we focus on the pivotal decade of his twenties.

Notable Achievements

• Regarded as the "Father of Modern" physics due to his three foundational laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation.
• Alongside Leibniz, he is credited with laying the groundwork for calculus, the mathematical study of change.
• Made significant contributions to optics, including the invention of the reflecting telescope and the exploration of light and color.
• Authored several influential works in STEM, notably The Principia, deemed a cornerstone of academic literature.

The Formative Years (1662–1672)

Isaac Newton faced an emotionally turbulent childhood, as his father died shortly before his birth. His mother remarried and relocated, leaving him with his maternal grandmother, which he resented deeply, as evidenced by his diary entries.

From ages twelve to seventeen, he attended The King’s School in Grantham. A brief interruption occurred in 1659 when his mother attempted to steer him towards farming, a vocation he despised. Fortunately, his academic excellence led to his return to school, and in 1661, at nineteen, he entered Trinity College, Cambridge, initially supporting himself by working as a servant. A scholarship in 1664 allowed him to focus on his studies.

At the age of twenty-two, Newton began documenting his thoughts in what he called the 'Waste Book,' akin to Da Vinci’s notebooks. His early entries included the generalized binomial theorem, foreshadowing his later developments in calculus. He received his BA in 1665, shortly before the university closed due to the Great Plague.

The ensuing 18 months are celebrated as Newton’s Annus Mirabilis, or "miraculous years." During this time, he worked in Woolsthorpe, self-studying and laying the groundwork for revolutionary advancements in calculus, optics, and physics. Two key experiments during this period were the observation of an apple falling, leading to his gravitational theories, and the study of light through a prism, which revealed the intrinsic nature of color.

In 1667, at twenty-five, he returned to Cambridge and was elected a fellow of Trinity College. The following year, he completed his reflecting telescope prototype and earned his Master’s degree.

By 1669, at twenty-seven, Newton was appointed to the Lucasian Chair of Mathematics at Trinity, a role he would occupy for thirty-four years. He also shared a draft of De Analysi, a significant precursor to his calculus innovations, with John Collins.

In 1671, as a twenty-nine-year-old, he sent his reflecting telescope to the Royal Society and was nominated for membership. The following year, at thirty, he was formally inducted into the Royal Society and published numerous papers on optics, which ignited a rivalry with Robert Hooke over his theories on light and color. As the year closed, he began to refine key concepts of calculus in correspondence with John Collins.

Quirks, Rumors & Controversies

Newton exemplifies the archetype of the solitary genius. His Annus Mirabilis was a period of intense isolation and self-directed study. He had few friends and no known romantic relationships, while his fierce rivalries with contemporaries like Robert Hooke and Gottfried Leibniz are well-documented. Notably, there are unconfirmed rumors that he never married and died a virgin.

Newton's life was also marked by mental health struggles. Although we cannot diagnose him retrospectively, he faced episodes of depression and paranoia, likely stemming from his difficult childhood. His father's death and his mother's abandonment left profound scars.

Curiously, despite his rational mind, Newton dabbled in the occult and alchemy, believing he could find the Philosopher’s Stone to create gold or grant immortality. He even analyzed the Bible mathematically in search of deeper truths and was rumored to have been involved in secret societies, following in the footsteps of other great English polymaths.

In Conclusion

What Was Isaac Newton Like in His Twenties? A determined, self-taught visionary, Newton was driven to unveil the universe's mysteries.

Did He Achieve Much in His Twenties? Absolutely. In hindsight, his contributions to mathematics, physics, and optics were groundbreaking, though he published most of his work later in life. Had he shared his discoveries sooner, he would have been an academic sensation in his twenties.

Newton's impact on contemporary society is immeasurable; while others like Tesla and Da Vinci transformed the modern world, it is Newton who fundamentally shaped its framework. His journey to greatness is a testament to the power of curiosity and determination, achieved without extensive resources or privilege—only a desk, a library, and an insatiable thirst for knowledge.

Originally Published https://www.setzeus.com/

Additional Entries - Part I — Benjamin Franklin - Part II — Bertrand Russell - Part III — Leonardo Da Vinci - Part IV — Thomas Young - Part V — Mary Somerville - Part VI — Richard Feynman - Part VII — Sir Francis Bacon - Part VIII — Jacques Cousteau - Part IX — Nikola Tesla - Part XI — Thomas Jefferson