Cartesian Laws of Motion
The motion of these particles and all other objects in nature are subject to the laws of motion Descartes had observed:
- “…each particular part of matter always continues in the same state unless collision with others forces it to change its state.”
- “…when one of these bodies pushes another, it cannot give the 2nd any motion, except by losing as much of its own motion at the same time…”
- “…when a body is moving…each of its parts individually tends always to continue moving along a straight line” (Gaukroger)
Descartes in Principles of Philosophy added to these his laws on elastic collision.
Read more about this topic: The World (Descartes)
Famous quotes containing the words laws and/or motion:
“In time of war the laws are silent.”
—Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 B.C.)
“Happier of happy though I be, like them
I cannot take possession of the sky,
Mount with a thoughtless impulse, and wheel there,
One of a mighty multitude whose way
And motion is a harmony and dance
Magnificent.”
—William Wordsworth (1770–1850)