Final answer:
Isaac Newton's theories, especially his laws of motion and law of gravity, advanced human understanding by providing a mathematical model for predicting natural phenomena, marking a shift from Aristotelian thought to a scientific approach. Newtonian mechanics also underpin much of classical physics and remain relevant in contemporary scientific exploration.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theories of Isaac Newton fundamentally transformed our understanding of the natural world. Newton's seminal work, 'Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica,' published in 1687, provided a comprehensive framework for comprehending both terrestrial and celestial movements. His revolutionary laws of motion and universal law of gravitation supplanted previous Aristotelian ideas, offering a predictable and mathematical approach to understanding natural phenomena.
Newton's first law introduced the concept of inertia, his second law established the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration, and his third law presented the principle of action and reaction. These concepts not only explained motion on Earth but also the orbits of planets and moons. Beyond these laws, Newton invented calculus, crucial for advanced mathematical modeling, and contributed to optics, augmenting our grasp of light and color.
While Newton's laws were later expanded upon by Einstein's theory of relativity, it's important to note that Einstein's work didn't replace but rather extended Newtonian mechanics, demonstrating the evolutionary nature of scientific advancement. Newton's laws remain a fundamental aspect of classical physics and continue to inform current scientific research, including the discovery of exoplanets.