“To Treat of God from Phenomena”

Abstract

In Part II I have analysed Newton’s method of acquiring knowledge about the empirical world. As his manuscripts testify and as research over the last decades has made abundantly clear, Newton did not, however, limit himself to the sort of knowledge obtained by a methodized study of the empirical world alone. He equally accepted that, by carefully studying the scriptures and by taking into account the results harvested by natural philosophy, knowledge could be obtained about the divine creator, his providence, and his dominion over the world and his servants. In this chapter, my focus is on the nature of the rapport between Newton’s theology and natural philosophy. Although it is not my current endeavour to offer a detailed chronological account of Newton’s theological work, this chapter is thoroughly based on his theological manuscripts.