Emilie du Châtelet’s Institutions de physique as a document in the history of French Newtonianism

Émilie Du Châtelet on Illusions

“…The Foundations of Physics contains discussions of methodology, which are supposed to help us avoid making errors in our judgments about the world. While it is beyond the scope of this article to canvass the whole of this interesting aspect of her philosophy (see Detlefsen 2014 and 2019; Hagengruber 2011; Hutton 2004 and 2011; Melamed and Lin 2010; Sleigh 1983), it is necessary to point out the extent to which Du Châtelet thinks that we have a duty to seek the truth and avoid error in all areas of inquiry. This methodological stance applies equally to her views in physics, metaphysics, and morals.…”

Voltaire, François-Marie d’Arouet

“…At Cirey Voltaire continued to work on Newton's natural philosophy and to wage a campaign on behalf of Newtonianism against the Cartesianism that continued to reign supreme in the French Académie royale des sciences (de Gandt 2001). Châtelet herself was engaged in translating Newton's Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (1689) into French, and the text was published posthumously as Principes mathématiques de la philosophie naturelle in 1759 with Voltaire's preface (Besterman 1969, 183;Wade 1969, 273;Zinsser 2001;Hutton 2004;Shank 2015). Châtelet also worked on a physics treatise Institutions de physique (1740) (Wade 1969, 271-72;Hutton 2004).…”

“…Châtelet herself was engaged in translating Newton's Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (1689) into French, and the text was published posthumously as Principes mathématiques de la philosophie naturelle in 1759 with Voltaire's preface (Besterman 1969, 183;Wade 1969, 273;Zinsser 2001;Hutton 2004;Shank 2015). Châtelet also worked on a physics treatise Institutions de physique (1740) (Wade 1969, 271-72;Hutton 2004). Voltaire and Châtelet collaborated on a number of projects, including Elements de la philosophie de Newton first published in 1738 and then expanded in 1745 (Wade 1941;Wade 1969, 265-91;Besterman 1969, 182-195; Le Ru 2005, 53-63;Shank 2015).…”

On the Jesuit Edition of Newton’s Principia. Science and Advanced Researches in the Western Civilization

“…12 As to more modern literature concerning the Principia, we can refer, without pretension to be exhaustive, (generally) to: Panza (2003); Ahnert (2004); Baillon (2004); Bricker & Hughes (1990); Buchwald & Feingold (2011);Calinger (1968);Calinger (1969); Carriero (1990); Casini (1998); Cohen (1990); Cohen & Smith (2002); Crasta (1989); Dear (1998);De Gandt (1995); Ducheyne (2005); Feingold (2004);Fellmann (1988);Ferrone (1982);Forbes (1978); Force (1983); Force (1985); Force (2004); Force & Hutton (2004); Guicciardini (1989 et succ. ); Hall (1978); Hankins (1990);Haycock (2004); Heimann and McGuire (1971); Hutton (2004a); Hutton (2004b);Jacob (1977);Jacob (1978); KingHele & Rupert Hall (1988); Mandelbrote (2004); Marcialis (1989); Pulte & Mandelbrote (2011);; Rattansi (1981); Rouse Ball (1893Ball ( , 1972, Rupert Hall (1999); Shank (2008); Snobelen (1998);Stewart (2004);…”