Philosophy Now Forum

Who is the wiser?

A) Sir Isaac Newton who after seeing an apple fall from a tree confounded us then as is now with gravity.

or

B) Someone who sees the apple falling as only natural and something good to eat.

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MJA

or someone who takes the apples, turns them into pies and sells them to millions of hungry pie eaters?

-Imp

That would be Mrs. Smith!
So why didn't we study her in school?
Huh?

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MJA

I would choose A in all seriousness. I highly doubt that Isaac had forgotten that the apple was edible in examining the reasons behind why it would fall. Though I think in some sense this can happen to the intensely studious preoccupied with knowledge. But I would choose A because what Newton was doing is what all wise men do. He chose not to see the simplicity of a familiar situation and accept it, but look deeper. Trying to find a broader understanding of the nature of things. Philosophy's greatest thinkers have always been the ones that did not simply accept what is obvious to be true but pulled back the vail of familiarity to reveal something much more fascinating about the way we are.

Hi MJA,

I think that the wiser one will think about gravity but while eating apple.

I am quite sure that the genius in Newton would had done the same.

with love,
sanjay

Had old Isaac been hungry at the time, the history of science might have been very different!

[quote="colonist"] He chose not to see the simplicity of a familiar situation and accept it, but look deeper. Trying to find a broader understanding of the nature of things. quote]

Thanks everyOne for your thoughtful responses to my quiry.

I think colonist's answer brings another question into the light of my original question and that is:

Can One look deeper into a solution than its most simple solution?
Is not simplicity the Way too truth?

Thanks again!

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MJA wrote:Can One look deeper into a solution than its most simple solution?
Is not simplicity the Way too truth?

The simplest solution that is actually a solution is probably best, (usually) but it does no harm to keep looking skeptically at and beyond all our accepted 'truths'.

zinnat13 wrote:
I think that the wiser one will think about gravity but while eating apple.

I am quite sure that the genius in Newton would had done the same.

I agreed, it’s hard to think with stomach empty. LOL^^…who knows that’s a big secret of Newton:P

Huh. If Newton was clever he would have realised that the apple didn't so much fall as space was being curved. What a dickhead.

Space is curved?
That doesn't sound very wise at all.

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I think gravity is the power of unity,
The energy that unites us All.

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MJA wrote:Space is curved?
That doesn't sound very wise at all.

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According to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (H2G2) "The whole fabric of the space-time continuum is not merely curved, it is in fact totally bent."

I think theories are bent and the truth is straight.

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MJA wrote:I think theories are bent and the truth is straight.

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That is an interesting Theory!!!