Newton

Blog 19

An American scientist recently claimed that nothing in our world exists, that we are intangible creations in a vast simulacrum. Perhaps we live in one universe amongst many, the multiverse, a concept that embraces the potential implications of quantum mechanics. If so, are they all different, or are there many versions of each one of us, living similar, but not necessarily identical lives?

Isaac Newton’s world was one as yet poorly understood. His achievement in laying the foundations of modern physics is, to me, extraordinary. Those following have put flesh on the bones of his ideas, but much of his work holds true, centuries later.

I can find no evidence that a god exists, but I am content to accept that there are questions to which I have no answers. I believe also that there are only questions to which we do not YET have answers.

Fascinating though my blogs may be, as nobody ever reads them, it is like shouting into outer space. If a tree falls in the forest and no one sees it, should somebody pass by within one hundred years or so, the fallen tree may still be lying there. Later, there may be forensic evidence but, ultimately, nothing at all.

So much information is available to us via the Internet that my minuscule contributions will be eventually no more than a grain of sand on Bondi beach. Impossible to find, even should anyone try to look for them.

Anyway, here is a tribute to Newton.

Newton

An apple fell.

Before it hit the ground

One couldn’t tell

This fall would be profound.

He saw it drop

A thought was given birth

He didn’t stop

Establishing its worth.

The gravity

Of apple falling down

Caused cavity

But also its renown.

No levity

Discovering this act.

The brevity

Astonishing in fact.

His genius

In understanding this

Still intrigues us

And it would be remiss

To pass this by

Without acknowledgement,

For he saw why

The apple’s falling went.

This triggering

Ideas of such import

Configuring

Vast swathes of deeper thought

Make following

The way these things occur

Hard swallowing.

It’s how these matters were.