Did Cavendish experiment measure the Newtonian force?
Published by admin August 1st, 2007 in Physics, Cavendish ExperimentAccording to physics literature Cavendish measured the Newtonian force without any doubt. I have never seen any text, in physics or anywhere else, doubting that Cavendish measured the Newtonian force.1
Occult does not exist
My questioning of the Cavendish experiment is based in my firm belief that occult does not exist in nature. My reasoning is very simple:
Occult does not exist therefore Cavendish did not measure the Newtonian force.
Force is not even occult
If we look at the Newtonian force closer we see that force is not really occult. The instantaneous action at a distance is one of the most successful seeds for commentary invented by Newton. Newton’s disciples have been finding most ingenious ways to rationalize action-at-a-distance discreted about half a millenium ago. But force is not even occult. Force is a definition Newton made in order to derive2 Kepler’s rule.
Force is a dormitive virtue
As a superfluous definition force always cancels when it comes time to make calculations. According to the strong scientific principle only terms used in the calculations exist as magnitudes the rest are dormitive virtues. In this sense force is a dormitive virtue which exists only to save Newton’s authority.
The Force v. the Newtonian force
There are many similarities between The Force and the Newtonian force.
Wikipedia disambiguation page refers to The Force as “mystical energy in the Star Wars Universe.”3
Newtonian force can easily be described as “mystical energy in the universe.”
The main entry defines The Force as “a binding, magical and ubiquitous power that is the object of the Jedi and Sith monastic orders.”
Similarly, the Newtonian force is a binding, magical and ubiquitous power that is the object of the Newtonian Brotherhood.
Furthermore, “some think of The Force as a sentient entity that may be capable of intelligent activities, pervading and infusing the material universe as a sort of panentheistic god…”
As correctly identified by Huygens, Newton defined force to be Newton’s Soul permeating the entire universe. Newton’s Soul possesess “intelligent activities” since it couples to Newton’s definition of intelligent matter.
Newton defined himself not as god but as Moses of Mechanics but had no objection that his disciples elevated him to be the “human closest to God.” In other words, Newton is not panentheistic god, he is an Asymptotic God.
Physics is science Stars Wars is not
But wait, you say, there is a BIG difference. Physics is science. Newtonian force is a measurable magnitude in the experimental science of physics. What is The Force but a definition of George Lucas which does not exist except in the fictional Star Wars Universe.
Newtonian force exists only in the fictional Newtonian occult universe populated with intelligent matter. But, No. Physics is an experimental science and the Newtonian force has been measured zillions of times, starting with Cavendish in the 18th century.
Cavendish experiment again
Ok. Fine. Physics is an experimental science and physicists say that Cavendish measured the Newtonian force. But my own investigation of the Cavendish experiment suggests that he did not. Cavendish made 17 measurements during one year. According to my analysis Cavendish’s data does not show that his pendulum moved according to the Newtonian force.
It should be very easy to show if Cavendish did or not did not measure the Newtonian force. In fact, it will be easy to prove that Cavendish measured The Force of Star Wars. And it would be as easy to prove that Cavendish measured Newton’s Soul.
I would be grateful to anyone who helps me understand that Cavendish measured (or did not measure) the Newtonian force.
There is already a discussion going on at Physics Forum. Please join the discussion there or leave a comment here.
Many thanks.
- Except in my own writings. [↩]
- Here I use derive in its original scholastic sense. [↩]
- Disclaimer: I have never seen a Star Wars movie and I am not familiar with Star Wars Universe except that I just read the Wikipedia entry. [↩]
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