Quaestiones Quaedam Philosophicae

work by Newton

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July 13, 2026

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Quaestiones Quaedam Philosophicae was a collection of notes by Isaac Newton, begun around 1664. The title translates to "Certain Philosophical Questions." This work marked the beginning of Newton's scientific career, as he moved away from traditional Aristotelian studies towards the new mechanical philosophy that underpinned the Scientific Revolution. In these notes, Newton explored the ideas of philosophers like René Descartes and Pierre Gassendi, grappling with concepts of atomism and the mechanical interaction of particles. The notes also reveal his engagement with the Hermetic tradition, blending mechanical and alchemical ideas. Concurrently, Newton began his significant mathematical work, developing the binomial theorem and the infinitesimal calculus.1

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Isaac Newton
Influence of the Scientific Revolution
…notes, which he entitled “Quaestiones Quaedam Philosophicae” (“Certain Philosophical Questions”), begun sometime in 1664, usurped the unused pages of a notebook intended for traditional scholastic exercises; under the title he entered the slogan “Amicus Plato amicus Aristoteles magis amica veritas” (“Plato is my friend, Aristotle is my friend, but…
Read More
…notes, which he entitled “Quaestiones Quaedam Philosophicae” (“Certain Philosophical Questions”), begun sometime in 1664, usurped the unused pages of a notebook intended for traditional scholastic exercises; under the title he entered the slogan “Amicus Plato amicus Aristoteles magis amica veritas” (“Plato is my friend, Aristotle is my friend, but…
Read More