Final answer:
In 1703, due to his considerable influence and intellectual contributions, Isaac Newton was named president of a society. His work in the fields of motion, gravity, optics and mathematics played a crucial role in the advancement of physical sciences.
Step-by-step explanation:
The scientist who was named president of a society in 1703 due to his considerable gravitas was Isaac Newton. Newton, born in Lincolnshire, England, right after Galileo's death, went against his mother's advice and joined Trinity College in Cambridge in 1661. From there, he went on to become a professor of mathematics eight years later. He later went onto take the position of the president of a society.
Newton's work largely built upon the observations and findings of other significant scientists like Galileo Galilei, Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler. His expansive knowledge and innovative theories in the fields of motion, gravity, optics, and mathematics became crucial foundations of physical science.
Newton, along with other prominent figures like Christopher Wren, Aphra Behn, Daniel Defoe, and G. F. Handel, played a significant role in the intellectual sphere of England during his lifetime.
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