Isaac Newton is often described as the most impressive scientist of all time.  Considering his fascination with weird religions, baseless transmutation of elements schemes and his petty quarrels with other scientists, I can't share this assessment.

Nevertheless, Newton did contribute something of immense importance, his Principia (1687), which started an unfolding of reductionist thinking.

Quotations:

"I wish we could derive the rest of the phenomena of nature by the same reasoning from mechanical principles for I am induced by many reasons to suspect that they may all depend on certain forces."  From the Introduction of the Principia, as quoted by Steven Weinber (Facing Up, 2001).
 

This site opened:  July 23, 2002.  Last Update: July 23, 2002.