I can calculate the motions of the heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Newton admits he can predict celestial motions but cannot predict human irrationality.
- In plain terms
- I can calculate planets, not people's madness.
- What can you take from it?
- Human behavior is less predictable than physical systems.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What makes human behavior harder to model?
- Can future science bridge this gap?
Another view
Complexity of minds may eventually be modeled with better theories.
More from Isaac Newton
God created everything by number, weight and measure.
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