LI. On HegeVs Criticism of Newton's Principia. By W. Whewell, D. D., 

 Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. 



[Read May 21, 1849.] 



The Newtonian doctrine of universal gravitation, as the cause of the motions which take place 

 in the solar system, is so entirely established in our minds, and tlie fallacy of all the ordinary 

 arguments against it is so clearly understood among us, tliat it would undoubtedly be deemed a 

 waste of time to argue such questions in this place, so far as physical truth is concerned. But 

 since in other parts of Europe, there are teachers of philosophy wliose reputation and influence 

 are very great, and who are sometimes refen-ed to among our own countrymen as the authors of 

 new and valuable views of truth, and who yet reject the Newtonian opinions, and deny the validity 

 of the proofs commonly given of them, it may he worth while to attend for a few minutes to the 

 declarations of such teachers, as a feature in the present condition of European philosophy. I the 

 more readily assume that the Cambridge Philosophical Society will not think a communication on 

 such a subject devoid of interest, in consequence of the favourable reception which it has given to 

 philosophical speculations still more abstract, which I have on previous occasions offered to it. 

 I will therefore proceed to make some remarks on the opinions concerning the Newtonian doctrine 

 of gravitation, delivered by the celebrated Hegel, of Berlin, than whom no philosopher in modern, 

 and perhaps hardly any even in ancient times, has had his teaching received with more reverential 

 submission by his disciples, or been followed by a more numerous and zealous band of scholars 

 bent upon diifusing and applying his principles. 



The passages to which I shall principally refer are taken from one of his works which is called 

 the Encyclopcedia (Encyklop'adie), of which the First Part is the Science of Logic, the Second, the 

 Philosophy of Nature, the Third, the Philosophy of Spirit. The Second Part, with which I am 

 here concerned, has for an aliter title, Lectures on Natural Pliilosophy (Vorlesungen iiber Natur- 

 philosophie), and would through its whole extent offer abundant material for criticism, by referring 

 it to principles with which we are here familiar : but I shall for the present confine myself to that 

 part which refers to the subject which I have mentioned, the Newtonian Doctrine of Gravitation, 

 & 269, 270, of the work. Nor shall I, with regard to this part, think it necessary to give a con- 

 tinuous and complete criticism of all the passages bearing upon the subject ; but only such speci- 

 mens, and such remarks thereon, as may suffice to show in a general manner the value and the 

 character of Hegel's declarations on such questions. I do not pretend to offer here any opinion 

 upon the value and character of Hegel's philosophy in general : but I think it not unlikely tfiat 

 some impression on that head may be suggested by the examination, here offered, of some points in 

 which we can have no doubt where the truth lies ; and I am not at all persuaded that a like 

 examination of many other parts of the Hegelian Encyclopcedia would not confirm the impression 

 which we shall receive from the parts now to be considered. 



Hegel both criticises the Newtonian doctrines, or what he states as such ; and also, not deny- 

 ing the truth of the laws of phenomena which he refers to, for instance Kepler's laws, offers his 

 own proof of these laws. I shall make a few brief remarks on each of these portions of the pages 

 before me. And I would beg it to be understood that where I may happen to put my remarks in 

 a short, and what may seem a peremptory form, I do so for the sake of saving time ; knowing 



