Scientific Biography: History of Science by Another Means?

Abstract This article endeavors to contribute to a better understanding of the literary contexts of early biographies of scientists written during the Scientific Revolution. To what extent are these biographies influenced by stereotypes that are an inadequate fit for modern history of science? Its claim is that there was, indeed, a literary model for biographies of scientists, and that this model had deep roots in Biblical and classical literature. While the model was similar to that used in Renaissance biographies of artists, it did not fully emerge until as late as the seventeenth century.

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Biografias Científicas com vistas à Inserção Didática: aportes da História e da História da Ciência

História da Ciência e Ensino construindo interfaces ◽

10.23925/2178-2911.2020v21p65-86 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 ◽

pp. 65-86

Author(s):

Juliana Mesquita Hidalgo ◽

Daniel De Medeiros Queiroz

Keyword(s):

Science Education ◽

History Of Science ◽

Scientific Knowledge ◽

Theoretical Foundation ◽

Educational Context ◽

Scientific Biography ◽

History Of ◽

Disciplinary Area

ResumoO presente trabalho visa contribuir com a fundamentação teórica para a escrita de biografias científicas com fins didáticos. O gênero biográfico é um legítimo foro de “humanização” do conhecimento científico, um dos papéis centrais da inserção didática da História da Ciência. Recortes biográficos que não representem os cientistas com caráter sobre-humano, escritos não como absoluta verdade, e sim como história interpretada, podem ser úteis no contexto educacional. Sugerimos a escrita de recortes biográficos destinados à educação científica que considere os novos aportes do gênero, isto é, à luz de fundamentos historiográficos atualizados. São apresentados subsídios da área disciplinar História, a exemplo da perspectiva de história-problema, e subsídios da História da Ciência, em objeção às biografias laudatórias.Palavras-chave: Biografia Científica; Gênero Biográfico; Historiografia.AbstractThis paper aims to contribute for the theoretical foundation concerning the writing of scientific biographies for didactic purposes. Biographical genre is a legitimate forum “to humanize” the scientific knowledge, one of the central roles of the didactic insertion of the History of Science. Biographical fragments not representative of scientists as “superhuman” and written as interpreted history, may be useful in the educational context. We suggest the writing of biographical fragments for science education that consider the new contributions of the genre, in other words, in light of historiographical foundations currently accepted. Subsidies from the disciplinary area History are presented, such as the perspective of history as problem, and subsidies from History of Science, in objection to laudatory biographies.Keywords: Scientific Biography; Biographical Genre; Historiography.

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‘A Time for Engineers and a Time for Geologists’: Scientific Lives and Different Pathways in the History of Portuguese Geology

Earth Sciences History ◽

10.17704/eshi.32.1.e213j2306j736128 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 32 (1) ◽

pp. 23-38 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Teresa Mota ◽

Ana Carneiro

Keyword(s):

Twentieth Century ◽

History Of Science ◽

Scientific Practice ◽

Geological Survey ◽

Literary Genre ◽

Scientific Biography ◽

History Of

For quite a while, scientific biography was relegated to a subordinate status in the history of science. In the last two decades, however, it has seen a revival, which can be explained both by its popularity among general audiences as it conveys a closer image of scientists and scientific practice, and science historians' reappraisal of biography as a literary genre and as a source for their research. When writing scientific biographies or using them as a source, however, historians have to contend with complex questions, such as the extent to which a particular biography is representative of larger patterns, and they face a variety of problems associated with the use of sources such as oral testimonies and obituaries. In this paper, the scientific lives of Joaquim Filipe Nery da Encarnação Delgado (1835-1908) and Francisco Luís Pereira de Sousa (1870-1931), both engineers working at the Portuguese Geological Survey, and Carlos Teixeira (1910-1982), a leading geologist working in the academia, will be analysed. Through this comparison, the authors aim to characterize the development of Portuguese geology in different contexts in the period spanning from the mid-nineteenth to the twentieth century.

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LITERARY-AESTHETIC POSITIONS IN EPISTOLAR SOURCES

10.36078/987654342 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 17-27

Keyword(s):

History Of Science ◽

Classical Literature ◽

Scientific Biography ◽

Unique Information ◽

Scientific Dialogue ◽

History Of ◽

The Creation ◽

Oriental Studies ◽

Literary Environment ◽

Literary Aesthetic

Scientific correspondence in archives is an integral part of Russian Oriental studies. The names of Russian scientists complement each other with unique information about the study of the Uzbek classical literature, the creation of works, the scientific and literary environment of this period as an integral part of their scientific activities. Through epistolary sources one can get an idea about the exchange of opinions, reviews, criticism, literary and aesthetic views. In this regard, the scientific dialogue between A. Samoylovich, V. Barthold, I. Yu. Krachkovsky, V. Gordlevsky, N. Ostroumov, A. Semenov and other scientists are noteworthy. Considering that this aspect of the matter has not yet been studied in the Uzbek literature, the study of epistolary sources enriches the history of science with new facts and reveals more information the scientific biography of scientists. The article discusses the scientific correspondence of Academician A.N. Samoylovich in archives.

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