"O PESO E O EQUILÍBRIO DOS FLUÍDOS": UM ATAQUE NEWTONIANO ÀS TESES CARTESIANAS DO MOVIMENTO.

Descartes has established concepts upon which he would explain his general thesis on the motions of bodies. In total disagreement, Newton made a conspicuous attack on Cartesian theory concluding that the motions proposed by the French philosopher should not be considered as true motions. The dialogue developed throughout the discussion, based on Newtonian theory concerning the nature of the physical world, demonstrates in a subtle and exquisite way the accurate observations made by Newton about the contradictions that led to the development of the concepts as proposed by Descartes. Imbued with a physical and philosophical spirit, this article aims to elucidate the Cartesian's "fictions" as well to show the way through Newton sought to refute them: by opposing such theory of motion with his. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]