The theory of the apple not falling on Newtons head is an analogy that compares two things that are similar but different. The analogy is used to show how one thing can lead to another unexpected result. This analogy was first used by John Locke in his essay An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, which was published in 1690. Newton’s laws of motion were first published in 1687 and they explained the motion of objects under the action of forces. In this essay, Locke uses the example of an apple falling from a tree to show how gravity can be explained using Newton’s laws of motion. Newton’s laws state that every action has an equal and opposite reaction, so when the apple falls from the tree it causes a force on earth equal to its weight (F=mg). If you then drop a hammer on earth it will also cause a force equal to its weight (F=mg). These two examples show how gravity can be explained using Newton’s laws of motion. The hammer does not hit you because there is no reaction force acting on your hand, but because there is no reaction force acting on your hand it acts as if you were hit by the hammer. …show more content…
Locke argues that because there is a natural order in the universe it must have been designed by an intelligent being, which he calls God. The apple does not fall on newtons head is an analogy that compares two things that are similar but different. The analogy is used to show how one thing can lead to another unexpected result. This analogy was first used by John Locke in his essay An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, which was published in 1690. In this essay Locke uses the example of an apple falling from a tree to show how gravity can be explained using Newton’s laws of