Isaac Newton

Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, and lived there from 1661 till 1696. As a scholar he produced the bulk of his work in mathematics.  In 1696 he was appointed to a valuable government office, and moved to London, where he lived until his death.

 After studying the work of Descartes, Newton was attracted to mechanical philosophy and began to question the environment around him, including the nature of matter, cosmic order, light, colors and sensations.

 To test a question about colors, he stared at the sun with one eye until all the colors changed. As a result he had to shut himself up in the dark for several days before he could rid himself of the spots now floating before his eyes.

Newton was the pioneer of the law of gravitation and the law of motion.  Eventually, he suffered from what was called a nervous breakdown.  It compelled him to retire from research, but that didn't deter the genius. He went on to be the Master of the Royal Mint, President of the Royal Society and attained Knighthood.