Harry Veeder <[email protected]> wrote: Newtonian physics is generally not a part of everyday life experiences. It > is an abstract generalisation deduced from some idealised situations. >
Good point. That's why these physics were not discovered until Newton, and why it took a genius like Newton to discover them. An interesting example is Newton's first law. The classic demonstration was a pool table (billiards). I do not know how widespread pool tables were in the 17th century, but I do not think that ordinary people had much opportunity to experience one. Smooth roads and other low friction surfaces are more widespread in modern life. We even have some sense of what is like in zero gravity and how spacecraft work, from video games and NASA footage. Such things were unimaginable to people in ancient times. - Jed
