Newton enrolled in Cambridge University’s Trinity College as a law student at the age of 18. To earn his way, he made money by working as a personal servant for wealthier students. By the time he was a third-year student, Newton was engrossed in studying mathematics and natural philosophy (now called physics). He also had an interest in alchemy, which is now considered a pseudoscience.
The teachings in college were based on Aristotle. To this, Newton added the findings of later philosophers such as Descartes, and astronomers such as Galileo, Copernicus and Thomas Street, through whom he learnt about Kepler.
Newton was fascinated by Galileo’s experimental methods. Newton was also practising science on his own at this time.
Fascinated by celestial phenomena he began tracking comets. He observed the first in December 1664. Another appeared in early April 1665, causing him to wonder how these brilliant objects could move with such incredible speed.
He started a new set of notes titled Quaestiones Quaedam Philosophicae (‘Certain Philosophical Questions’) sometime in 1664. His notes took over the unused pages of a notebook meant for traditional scholastic exercises.
Under the title he entered the slogan “Amicus Plato amicus Aristoteles magis amica veritas” (“Plato is my friend, Aristotle is my friend, but my best friend is truth”). This marked the beginning of Newton’s scientific career. His years at Cambridge played a crucial role in his scientific life.
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