Final answer:
Isaac Newton developed an entire 'System of the World' using 4 axioms in his work 'Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica', which laid the groundwork for classical mechanics and remains fundamental in the field of physics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The development of an entire 'System of the World' using 4 axioms is attributed to Isaac Newton, whose contributions are encapsulated in his work titled 'Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica' (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy), first published in 1687.
Newton used mathematical principles to formulate laws of motion and universal gravitation that remain crucial to the field of physics today. His principles were rooted in axioms, similar to how Euclid used axioms to develop his geometric theorems in 'Elements'.
Newton's work significantly differed from purely abstract mathematical axioms, setting the stage for a quantitative and predictive science that could describe the motion of objects. His laws of motion, including the concept of gravity, are still valid and form the foundation of classical mechanics.
Newton's work stands alongside those of other great mathematicians like Archimedes, Euclid, and others like Kepler, who contributed to the understanding of the universe through mathematics.