Cancelling Newton By Brian Simpson
I am not surprised to read that woke cancel culture is now going after Sir Isaac Newton. What will be interesting is if Albert Einstein is on the list. I suppose so, since all the greats of the West will be cancelled at some point, since that is the idea of the cancellation/deconstruction system anyway.
“The grandfather of modern physics, Sir Isaac Newton, has become the latest target of the woke mob in the push to “decolonise the curriculum”, as Sheffield University is reportedly set to contextualise lessons on Newton with claims about him benefiting from “colonial-era activity”.
Students at the university in the north of England will reportedly have lessons on Netwon’s groundbreaking three laws of motion, including the law of gravity, with explainers detailing the “global origins and historical context” of his theories.
Professors in the engineering department of Sheffield University will seek to “challenge long-standing conscious and unconscious biases” among pupils and to confront the supposed “white saviour” and “Eurocentric” view of science and mathematics, according to documents seen by The Telegraph.
A diversity consultant at several top universities in Britain decried the efforts to decolonise the curriculum, warning that the movement is expanding from the traditionally left-wing humanities departments into the hard sciences.
“I’m employed by universities to do this training but for me equality, diversity and inclusion training is equality of opportunity, diversity of thought and inclusivity of action – that’s all,” the unnamed consultant said.
“This is something different altogether. It is blatantly teaching people to be activists,” the consultant added.
A leaked copy of the university’s “draft inclusive curriculum development” strategy developed by the Russell Group research university claims that “much important engineering content and curriculum resources is based on maths developed in the 18/19th century”.
It goes on to say that scientists such as Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Paul Dirac, Pierre-Simon Laplace, and Newton could all “be considered as benefiting from colonial-era activity”.
The documents did not explain how Newton benefitted from colonialism. On the contrary, it is known that he lost some £20,000 in investments in a failed slave trade company.
Science writer and Isaac Newton biographer James Gleick said: “Whether Newton’s foolish investment in South Sea shares in 1720 means that he participated in the slave trade is arguable.
“I doubt he thought about it. I would say that all England benefited from colonialism. The correct response to that is to teach it.”
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