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Robert McNees (mcnees@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Dec-2023 15:12:16 UTC Robert McNees

A belated happy birthday to Émilie du Châtelet, who was born on December 17, 1706.
She hypothesized conservation of energy, established kinetic energy as distinct from momentum and proportional to (speed)², and combined Newton, Leibniz, and her own original ideas in "Institutions de Physique.”
A thread from last year:
https://mastodon.social/@mcnees/109530172077988652
In conversation about a year ago from mastodon.social permalink
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- Robert McNees (mcnees@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Dec-2023 15:35:50 UTC Robert McNees
  in reply to
  
  If you don't read the whole thread (which you should, she was amazing), at least enjoy this passage from a letter du Châtelet sent to her nemesis the King of Prussia.
  Take this vis viva out into the world with you today, and leave a trail of wrecked monarchs behind you.
  In conversation about a year ago permalink
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  1. "Judge for my own merits, or lack of them, but do not look upon me as a mere appendage to this great renowned scholar or that, that I am in my own right a whole person, responsible to myself alone for all that I am, all that I say, all that I do. It may be that there are metaphysicians and philosophers whose learning is greater than mine, although I have not met them. Yet, they are but frail humans, too, and have their own faults; so, when I add the sum total of my graces, I confess that I am inferior to no one."
    https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/111/607/817/310/103/823/original/330b8eab824a4c1e.png

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