--- product_id: 26784815 title: "The Principia: The Authoritative Translation and Guide: Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy" price: "VT14510" currency: VUV in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.vu/products/26784815-the-principia-the-authoritative-translation-and-guide-mathematical-principles-natural store_origin: VU region: Vanuatu --- # The Principia: The Authoritative Translation and Guide: Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy **Price:** VT14510 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Principia: The Authoritative Translation and Guide: Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy - **How much does it cost?** VT14510 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vu](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/26784815-the-principia-the-authoritative-translation-and-guide-mathematical-principles-natural) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description In his monumental 1687 work, Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica , known familiarly as the Principia , Isaac Newton laid out in mathematical terms the principles of time, force, and motion that have guided the development of modern physical science. Even after more than three centuries and the revolutions of Einsteinian relativity and quantum mechanics, Newtonian physics continues to account for many of the phenomena of the observed world, and Newtonian celestial dynamics is used to determine the orbits of our space vehicles. This authoritative, modern translation by I. Bernard Cohen and Anne Whitman, the first in more than 285 years, is based on the 1726 edition, the final revised version approved by Newton; it includes extracts from the earlier editions, corrects errors found in earlier versions, and replaces archaic English with contemporary prose and up-to-date mathematical forms. Newton's principles describe acceleration, deceleration, and inertial movement; fluid dynamics; and the motions of the earth, moon, planets, and comets. A great work in itself, the Principia also revolutionized the methods of scientific investigation. It set forth the fundamental three laws of motion and the law of universal gravity, the physical principles that account for the Copernican system of the world as emended by Kepler, thus effectively ending controversy concerning the Copernican planetary system. The illuminating Guide to Newton's Principia by I. Bernard Cohen makes this preeminent work truly accessible for today's scientists, scholars, and students. Review: Excellent translation with helpful apparatus - I am writing my dissertation on Newton and have found this translation incredibly helpful and surprisingly readable. The Principia is one of the most difficult and inaccessible books ever written -- so much so, in fact that even John Locke (himself a pretty smart guy) had to ask Christian Huygens to explain much of it to him. This difficulty was intentional, because Newton did not want people who only understood math a little to try and undermine his arguments. For this reason, he rewrote book three so that only those who had read and understood book 1 could understand its concepts. People laugh when I tell then that I own a book with a three hundred page introduction, but it's a book that needs a three hundred page intro. In their intro, Cohen and whitman describe the history of the principia, its structure, an explanation of where prior translations have fallen short, and -- most importantly -- note which of the Principia's sections have been most significant during and after Newton's time. This is helpful so that when you get to each section, you are more likely to notice which elements may have seemed most controversial, where he is taking down Descartes' vortices, etc. I'm not saying I agree 100% with cohen and whitman on all of their points, but they have produced a work that does not simply translate the book; it also shares the writers' substantial knowledge about the principia. This is an essential and monumental translation. If you are at all interested in early modern science, you must own it. Review: The best translation of the Principia - This is an impressive work of scholarship & I highly recommend it to all serious students of physics. The authors set out to produce a modern translation of the third and final version of Newton's masterpiece which was originally written in Latin and published in 1726. The first & only complete English translation of the Principia, before this new translation was made, was by Andrew Motte in 1729 - only three years after Newton's work in Latin appeared. Motte's translation was revised and "modernized" several times in the intervening 270 years, the last being in the mid 1800's but it still was regarded as being almost as difficult and opaque as Newton's original. This new translation by Cohen & Whitman is really two books in one. The first 370 pages of the 966 page work is "A Guide to Newton's Principia" and consists of eleven Chapters that explain the structure of Newton's work and how to read it. This part is indispensable to the modern reader. The last 596 pages is a careful translation into modern English of the original Latin version. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #51,516 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #6 in Mathematical Physics (Books) #8 in Philosophy (Books) #16 in Mathematics History | | Customer Reviews | 4.8 out of 5 stars 481 Reviews | ## Images ![The Principia: The Authoritative Translation and Guide: Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61El36ZP64L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent translation with helpful apparatus *by L***R on June 10, 2007* I am writing my dissertation on Newton and have found this translation incredibly helpful and surprisingly readable. The Principia is one of the most difficult and inaccessible books ever written -- so much so, in fact that even John Locke (himself a pretty smart guy) had to ask Christian Huygens to explain much of it to him. This difficulty was intentional, because Newton did not want people who only understood math a little to try and undermine his arguments. For this reason, he rewrote book three so that only those who had read and understood book 1 could understand its concepts. People laugh when I tell then that I own a book with a three hundred page introduction, but it's a book that needs a three hundred page intro. In their intro, Cohen and whitman describe the history of the principia, its structure, an explanation of where prior translations have fallen short, and -- most importantly -- note which of the Principia's sections have been most significant during and after Newton's time. This is helpful so that when you get to each section, you are more likely to notice which elements may have seemed most controversial, where he is taking down Descartes' vortices, etc. I'm not saying I agree 100% with cohen and whitman on all of their points, but they have produced a work that does not simply translate the book; it also shares the writers' substantial knowledge about the principia. This is an essential and monumental translation. If you are at all interested in early modern science, you must own it. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The best translation of the Principia *by J***N on November 7, 2018* This is an impressive work of scholarship & I highly recommend it to all serious students of physics. The authors set out to produce a modern translation of the third and final version of Newton's masterpiece which was originally written in Latin and published in 1726. The first & only complete English translation of the Principia, before this new translation was made, was by Andrew Motte in 1729 - only three years after Newton's work in Latin appeared. Motte's translation was revised and "modernized" several times in the intervening 270 years, the last being in the mid 1800's but it still was regarded as being almost as difficult and opaque as Newton's original. This new translation by Cohen & Whitman is really two books in one. The first 370 pages of the 966 page work is "A Guide to Newton's Principia" and consists of eleven Chapters that explain the structure of Newton's work and how to read it. This part is indispensable to the modern reader. The last 596 pages is a careful translation into modern English of the original Latin version. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very good 💯 *by S***I on March 28, 2026* Very good 💯 ## Frequently Bought Together - The Principia: The Authoritative Translation and Guide: Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy - Elements of Algebra - Euclid's Elements --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vu/products/26784815-the-principia-the-authoritative-translation-and-guide-mathematical-principles-natural](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/26784815-the-principia-the-authoritative-translation-and-guide-mathematical-principles-natural) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vanuatu* *Store origin: VU* *Last updated: 2026-06-05*