Showing papers by "Jürgen Renn published in 2013"

Exploring the Limits of Preclassical Mechanics : A Study of Conceptual Development in Early Modern Science: Free Fall and Compounded Motion in the Work of Descartes, Galileo and Beeckman

Abstract: The question of when and how the point of view that characterizes modern science arose in Western Europe is one that has long intrigued people interested in the history of ideas. This book examines the transition from the Renaissance to the modern point of view for one particular, but important subject: mechanics, that is, the history of motion. Descartes, Galileo, and others struggled with the idea, but it was Galileo who formulated the laws in what we recognize as the modern way. The authors of the book suggest that this was not a continuous change nor an abrupt revolution, but the result of stretching the existing conceptual system to its limits. This monograph on history of science, history of mathematics and philosophy of science is intended for students and researchers in history of science.

Computational perspectives in the history of science: to the memory of Peter Damerow.

Abstract: Computational methods and perspectives can transform the history of science by enabling the pursuit of novel types of questions, dramatically expanding the scale of analysis (geographically and temporally), and offering novel forms of publication that greatly enhance access and transparency. This essay presents a brief summary of a computational research system for the history of science, discussing its implications for research, education, and publication practices and its connections to the open-access movement and similar transformations in the natural and social sciences that emphasize big data. It also argues that computational approaches help to reconnect the history of science to individual scientific disciplines.

Einstein as a Missionary of Science

Abstract: The paper reviews Einstein’s engagement as a mediator and popularizer of science. It discusses the formative role of popular scientific literature for the young Einstein, showing that not only his broad scientific outlook but also his internationalist political views were shaped by these readings. Then, on the basis of recent detailed studies, Einstein’s travels and their impact on the dissemination of relativity theory are examined. These activities as well as Einstein’s own popular writings are interpreted in the context of his understanding of science as part of human culture.

Beyond Infrastructure -- Modelling Scholarly Research and Collaboration

Abstract: This paper explores what is needed to foster an acceptance of digital practices in the humanities beyond the creation of pure infrastructure, specifically in terms of understanding and technically modelling traditional scholarly research within a digital medium while enabling new modes of scholarly work that could only be carried out within a digitally-mediated environment.