The philosophical discourse on the days of creation in Isaac Newton and Thomas Burnet's works

The paper investigates the scientific dispute between Isaac Newton and Thomas Burnet over regarding and interpreting the Biblical Hexæmeron. From the perspective of the natural philosopher and geologist Burnet, the description of the Days of Creation can be interpreted only metaphorically and does not provide any information on the real processes having taken place at the time of the Earth’s creation. In Newton’s opinion, the biblical description of the Creation reflects the physical reality. A researcher who wants to understand the true picture of the creation of the world should reconcile the astronomical, geological and biblical views. Newton insisted that although Moses’ narrative used the language of accommodation to some extent, it described a real natural history of the Earth. The study focuses on the Newtonian chronology of the Creation and his understanding of the sequence of the Days of Creation as well.