Some thoughts on Newton's Laws of Motion

• Posted: Monday, May 10, 2021
• Random Thoughts
• Justin Newland

Newton's first law of motion states that:

An object that is at rest will stay at rest unless an external force acts upon it.

An object that is in motion will not change its velocity unless an external force acts upon it.

This is known as uniform motion. An object continues to do whatever it happens to be doing unless a force is exerted upon it. If it is at rest, it continues in a state of rest. If an object is moving, it continues to move without turning or changing its speed.

By analogy to personal development, if you apply the same energies with the same reasons and motives to your life in whatever task, you will end up with the same result, guaranteed. This is summed up in the saying 'There can be no movement (change) without an alteration of forces.' The way to get a different result, to induce an improved result, or to change the direction of your life, is to 'exert an external force on it', i.e. change your motive, or ACQUIRE SOME NEW KNOWLEDGE.

Newton's second law of motion states that the net force on an object is equal to the rate of change of its linear momentum, or Force = Mass multiplied by Acceleration. In other words, movement, growth, development or whatever you want to call it, is not just about change, it's about the rate of change.

The second law says that the alteration of motion is ever proportional to the motive force impressed, and is made in the direction of the right line in which that force is impressed. So, the success of your motive is dependent on constantly seeing to its upkeep, making sure at each point of progression that the direction is on course with your principles and not skewing you away from where are intending to go. Basic maintenance.

Newton's third law of motion states that:

To every action there is always opposed an equal reaction

Or the mutual actions of two bodies upon each other are always equal, and directed to contrary parts.

This implies that there will always be resistance to whatever you try to do, and it will always equal your motive. It will win if you let it. It also says every action has consequences, sometimes unforeseen and often unseen. Hence the saying, "Oh, he got more than you bargained for."

You can see this law at play in human affairs, often in the gruesome, grisly side of them. When the forces of the Inquisition in medieval Spain could no longer find suitable victims, the forces were turned in on the perpetrators themselves. The same happened to the Witchfinder General in England during the English Civil War. In the end, he declared himself a witch. It also happened more recently in Yugoslavia and Bosnia where ethnic cleansing reached such heightened levels that the army turned in on itself.

If you call the reaper, he will demand victims. If you can't supply them, then you yourself become the victim.

In other words, be careful what you wish for. You may get it. A hundred-fold.

Justin Newland