natural philosophy
noun [mass noun] archaic
Natural science, especially physical science.They weren't physicists and chemists in those days, they were natural philosophers, and natural philosophy included mathematics....
- But she also transgressed social norms by dedicating herself to Newtonian natural philosophy.
- Before the book was published Sneddon had returned to Glasgow as a lecturer in physics, or rather natural philosophy as the subject was called in the ancient Scottish Universities at that time.
Derivatives
natural philosopher
- On the whole, the vortex theory offered the natural philosopher a highly intuitive model of celestial phenomena that was compatible with the mechanical philosophy.
- According to Newton, the natural philosopher may establish that phenomena are related in a certain way, but cannot establish that the relation could not be otherwise.
- By 1704 Newton was fast becoming England's most eminent natural philosopher.