Showing papers in "Nuncius-journal of The History of Science in 2001"
TL;DR: This paper examined the empirical foundation of Galileo's two new sciences, presented in the Discorsi, and argued that the second of these sciences, the theory of motion, is largely rooted in the practical knowledge on ballistics as it was accumulated by contemporary experts on artillery.
Abstract: The paper examines the empirical foundation of Galileo's two new sciences, presented in the Discorsi. It argues that the second of these sciences, Galileo's theory of motion, is largely rooted in the practical knowledge on ballistics as it was accumulated by contemporary experts on artillery. The empirical roots of the first of his two new sciences, dealing with the strength of materials, are analyzed on the basis of new sources documenting the practical challenges of the construction of large galleys as they were faced by the foremen of the Venetian Arsenal.
17 citations
TL;DR: The main archival documents on the life and the activity of Angelo Secchi S.J. are kept in the archive of the P. Universit Gregoriana in Rome.
Abstract: title SUMMARY /title The main archival documents on the life and the activity of Angelo Secchi S. J. are kept in the archive of the P. Universit Gregoriana in Rome. The enormous and varied collection of documents is an important source which appears to be crucial for the real understanding and evaluation of the work and the personality of Secchi as well as of the complex political and cultural context of his time. A brief introduction containing some biographical notes on Secchi and a description of the collection is followed by the complete inventory of the documents.
7 citations
5 citations
TL;DR: Palladino et al. as mentioned in this paper presented a general catalogue and the website of the mathematical models found in the Italian universities of Catania, Messina, Bari, Naples, Rome, Florence, Bologna, Modena, Ferrara, Parma, Pavia, Milan, Padua, Turin and Genoa.
Abstract: title SUMMARY /title We present here the general catalogue and the website of the mathematical models found in the Italian universities of Catania, Messina, Bari, Naples, Rome, Florence, Bologna, Modena, Ferrara, Parma, Pavia, Milan, Padua, Turin and Genoa. For the most part they consist of old models published by the firms Ludwig Brill in Darmstadt, Martin Schilling in Halle an der Saale (later Leipzig), by H. Wiener for G. B. Teubner in Leipzig or belonging to the Collections Charles Muret published by Charles Delagrave in Paris. Other models were produced by different firms. A small number were even produced in Italy at the laboratories annexed to universities and, among these we also include the reproduction created in Florence by Luigi Campedelli in the 1950s with the support of the Unione Matematica Italiana. The research on the models (almost all of which are accompanied by the relevant images) can be carried out principally on the basis of the following criteria: Name of model - Catalogue - Material - Year of publication - Designer - Builder - Publisher - Location. The address of the mirrored web sites are: www.dmi.unisa.it/people/palladino/modelli and www.dma.unina. it/~nicla.palladino/catalogo.
3 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the relationship between four Habsburg-Lorraine Grand Dukes and the Imperiale e Regio Museo di Fisica e Storia Naturale di Firenze, with special reference to the scientific studies and the travels of the young Leopold II, is investigated.
Abstract: SUMMARY Based on unpublished sources, this article focuses on the relationships between four Habsburg-Lorraine Grand Dukes and the Imperiale e Regio Museo di Fisica e Storia Naturale di Firenze, with special reference to the scientific studies and the travels of the young Leopold II. The role of Vincenzio Antinori, director of the Museum in the Florentine scientific context of the mid-1800's is also considered.
3 citations
TL;DR: A new edition of the letter adressed by the mathematician Francesco Maurolico (1494-1575) to Francisco Borgia, general of the Society of Christoph Clavius, was published in this article.
Abstract: title SUMMARY /title We provide here a new edition of the letter adressed by the mathematician Francesco Maurolico (1494-1575) to Francisco Borgia, general of the Society of Jesus This allow us to demonstrate that the relationship between Maurolico and Christoph Clavius did not begin before July 1569 The previously known evidence and texts supported different hypotheses and conjectures
2 citations
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TL;DR: The recent opening of the Archives of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the heir of the archives of the Roman Holy Office, has permitted the discovery of certain documents concerning Galileo Galilei, including a letter relating to the trial of 1633.
Abstract: title SUMMARY /title The recent opening of the Archives of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the heir of the archives of the Roman Holy Office, has permitted the discovery of certain documents concerning Galileo Galilei, including a letter relating to the trial of 1633. In addition to a transcription of the new document, we also situate it in context through a series of considerations, and demonstrate its utility in analysing the development and the logic of the course of the trial. In particular, the document sheds light on the important role in the instruction of the case played by the commissioner of the Inquisition, the Dominican inquisitor and military architect Vincenzo Maculano da Firenzuola, belonging to the patronage network of the Barberini and a key figure of the Roman Holy Office in that period.
1 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors focus on early Italian investigations of the psycho-physical attitudes of workers undertaken by Mosso's pupils Zaccaria Treves and Mariano Luigi Patrizi in the fields of medicine and psychophysiology between the end of the nineteenth century and the first ten years of the twentieth century.
Abstract: SUMMARY Taking as its starting point Angelo Mosso's studies of muscular and mental work carried out in Turin at the end of the nineteenth century, this essay focusses on early Italian investigations of the psycho-physical attitudes of workers undertaken by Mosso's pupils Zaccaria Treves and Mariano Luigi Patrizi in the fields of medicine and psychophysiology between the end of the nineteenth century and the first ten years of the twentieth century.In particular, the author is interested in delineating the differences between the various methodological approaches of these studies and in indicating their different ideological meanings, whose origins lie in the various facets of the materialistic philosophy of Italian scientific and positivist culture.
1 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the contributions made by Galileo to observational astronomy are given their just importance in Wilkins' texts and not without a certain emphasis, but the same cannot be said with reference to cosmology and epistemology.
Abstract: SUMMARY According to some recent interpretations, John Wilkins may be considered the English thinker of the seventeenth century who was most deeply influenced by Galileo's science and philosophy. Undoubtedly, when considered from a Baconian viewpoint, the contributions made by Galileo to observational astronomy are given their just importance in Wilkins' texts and not without a certain emphasis. The same cannot be said with reference to cosmology and epistemology. In these cases, Galileo's ideas do not appear to have acted as a prime stimulus but rather as a support for orientations previously arrived at through literary sources closer to the religious and exegetic orientations, as well as the national intellectual and scientific traditions, that were the stable point of reference the Puritan virtuoso.
1 citations
1 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors reconstructed the biography of M° Mariano, a Florentine teacher of abacus of the fif-theenth century, who was born about 1387 to Dada of Moddeo Turi and Michele of Gianni.
Abstract: SUMMARY In this work has been reconstructed the biography of M° Mariano, a florentine teacher of abacus of the fiftheenth century. Mariano was born about 1387 to Dada of Moddeo Turi and Michele of Gianni, another abacus teacher whose name connected to with the well known Paolo dell'abaco and Antonio Mazzinghi. He taught for about fifty years, mostly in a «bottega d'abaco» located in the Lungarno Acciaiuoli, below his dwelling house, and also for some time in the well known Santa Trinita abacus school. In his long period of activity, among his many pupils were the sons of important florentine merchants and noblemen. In the years 1422-1426 he took part in the works for the building of the Spedale degli Innocenti of Florence. He died in 1458. During his life as well after his death, he had the reputation of an excellent abacist.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe the development of that confrontation as an interplay of actions and reactions, mainly based on Unesco archival materials, and describe how the United Nations House in Paris changed into the headquarters of a battle inside the international scientific community, whose different sections were disagreeing and quarrelling about the meaning and the implications of the race concept.
Abstract: SUMMARY The two STATEMENTS ON RACE issued by Unesco in 1950-1951 represent an interesting case of intersection and problematic collaboration between science and politics. While Europe was recovering and rebuilding after the ravages of war, the young United Nations organization decided to launch a campaign againts the numberless sources of racism spread all over the world. For almost three years, Unesco House in Paris changed into the headquarters of a battle inside the international scientific community, whose different sections were disagreeing and quarrelling about the meaning and the implications of the race concept. Mainly based on Unesco archival materials, this essay describes the development of that confrontation as an interplay of actions and reactions. The Appendix contains the texts of the two Statements.
TL;DR: In this article, the origin and growth of David P. Wheatland's collection between 1949 and 1981 are discussed. But they focus on the main individuals from whom he acquired his instruments.
Abstract: title SUMMARY /title David P. Wheatland, the principal founder of Harvard University's Collection of Historical Instruments, began his own personal collection in 1949 with the hope that it would one day enrich Harvard's collection as a resource for teaching and research. This paper concerns the origin and growth of Wheatland's collection between 1949 and 1981, focusing on the main individuals from whom he acquired his instruments.