SOURCE: "Goethe against Newton: Towards Saving the Phenomenon," in Goethe and the Sciences: A Reappraisal, Frederick Amrine, Francis J. Zucker, Harvey Wheeler, eds., D. Reidel Publishing Company, 1987, pp. 175-93.

In the following essay, Sepper studies Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's attack on Newton's theory of white light and colors, maintaining that while Goethe's critique is sometimes flawed by "excessive vehemence" and an "all-encompassing condemnation" of Newton's theory, Goethe nevertheless presents a justified opposition to Newton's methods.

Wer ein Phanomen vor Augen hat, denkt
 schon oft druber hinaus; wer nur davon
 erzahlen hort, denkt gar nicht.
 (Goethe, Maximen, No. 1227)

In all the scientific work of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe nothing is more notorious than his polemic against Isaac Newton's theory of white light and colors.' This "great error" has been a constant source of embarrassment to reverers of Goethe that seemingly can be explained only by analyzing his psyche...