# Did We Get Newton Wrong? “Insofar” and the Information Universe A recent article titled “We’ve Been Misreading a Major Law of Physics For Almost 300 Years” published on ScienceAlert has a mistranslation in Newton’s foundational work, *Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica,* pointing physics in the wrong direction. For centuries, we’ve understood Newton’s first law of motion as stating that an object will maintain its velocity unless acted upon by an external force. However, Virginia Tech philosopher Daniel Hoek argues that a crucial word, “quatenus,” meaning “insofar,” was overlooked in the original English translation. This seemingly minor oversight could have profound implications for our understanding of inertia and the universe itself. The standard interpretation of Newton’s first law suggests a default state of constant motion or rest. Hoek’s analysis, however, reveals that Newton’s original Latin text, when properly translated, implies that *every* change in an object’s momentum is due to external forces. There is no inherent tendency to maintain a state of motion; rather, motion is a continuous response to the influences acting upon an object. This nuanced reading paints a picture of a universe where forces are constantly at play, even when things appear static. This revised understanding of Newton’s first law provides a compelling hook for exploring the emerging concept of the informational universe and the idea that gravity might be a function of information density. If, as Hoek suggests, every change in momentum is due to external forces, we can interpret these forces as carriers of information. An object “at rest” on Earth, for example, is constantly receiving and processing information from gravitational, electromagnetic, and other forces. The information-based universe hypothesis proposes that regions with higher information density exert a stronger gravitational pull. Thus, an object’s “rest” is not a passive state but an active response to the high information density field surrounding it. The idea that gravity is not a fundamental force but an emergent phenomenon arising from information density challenges the classical view of the universe. It suggests that information is a fundamental building block of reality, perhaps even more fundamental than matter or energy. By reinterpreting Newton’s first law through the lens of information, we gain a new perspective on the interconnectedness of the universe and the dynamic interplay of forces that shape our reality. While this hypothesis is still in its early stages, it offers a promising avenue for exploring the fundamental nature of the cosmos and bridging the gap between classical and quantum physics.