OVERVIEW

The course presents the historical development of European scientific and technical culture, from the perspective of a discipline which brings together Humanities and Sciences. The history of science and technology traces the path of increments, problems, developments and intersections between disciplines that has led to the genesis and affirmation of modern science. The temporal locution 'in the age of the Enlightenment' indicates the useful need to concentrate in particular on XVIII century.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Knowing the cultural, political and social contexts of the 18th century, from the crisis of European consciousness in the early 18th century to the French Revolution; understanding how the Scientific Revolution was codified in the Age of Enlightenment; knowing the development of science and technology in the 18th century. Having a solid knowledge of the history of the century of Enlightenment, and being able to analyze it from the perspective of the evolution of science and technology.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The primary objective is to make the student understand that science has not always been what it is today, but it has become. Therefore, only a correct and well founded historical analysis can really allow one to realize it. Students are therefore asked to learn this above all through the study of men and ideas, discoveries and inventions.

PREREQUISITES

It is desirable that, given the inevitable inter-disciplinary references, the student has good basic knowledge about the history of philosophy and modern history more generally.

TEACHING METHODS

The lessons will be frontal and will be carried out also with seminars. Any written tests in intinere, always without a vote, will be useful for the teacher to verify gradually the level of learning of the issues treated from time to time by the students. Attendance is recommended: exercises are not excluded, as well as seminars. Those who do not attend the exam will have two texts for 6 credits and three for 9 credits, according to the reading program below, without any additional texts for those who can not attend.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Contents for students who are taking the 6-CFU course

The codification and eighteenth-century representation of modern science, peculiarly related to astronomy and mathematics.

Contents for students who are taking the 9-CFU course

The codification and eighteenth-century representation of modern science, peculiarly related to astronomy and mathematics.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bibliography (6 CFU)

Reading, mandatory for all, of both the following texts:

• D. Arecco, Virtute e canoscenza. Una storia della scienza e della tecnica moderne, Padova, libreriauniversitaria.it Edizioni, 2017.
• D. Arecco, Navigatori, scienziati, viaggiatori. Scoprire e disegnare il globo da Cristoforo Colombo al capitano Cook, Castel Negrino, VirtuosaMente, 2016.

Bibliography (9 CFU)

Reading, mandatory for all, of both the following texts:

• D. Arecco, Virtute e canoscenza. Una storia della scienza e della tecnica moderne, Padova, libreriauniversitaria.it Edizioni, 2017.
• D. Arecco, Navigatori, scienziati, viaggiatori. Scoprire e disegnare il globo da Cristoforo Colombo al capitano Cook, Castel Negrino, VirtuosaMente, 2016.

Reading, moreover, of a text chosen from the following:

• S. Weinberg, Spiegare il mondo. La scoperta della scienza moderna, Milano, Mondadori, 2016.
• G. Ghiglione, La storia delle tecniche, Roma, Aracne, 2016.
• D. Arecco, Dall'Inghilterra all'Europa. Scienza, esoterismo, Lumi (1627-1780), Roma, Aracne, 2014.
• D. Arecco, Scienza e libero pensiero. Francia, Austria e stati italiani di Antico Regime, Novi Ligure, Città del Silenzio, 2016.
• D. Arecco, Primavera nordica. Il vento del cambiamento scientifico in Scandinavia, Novi Ligure, Città del Silenzio, 2016.
• D. Arecco, Comete, stelle e pianeti. Storia dell'astronomia nell’età di Newton, Novi Ligure, Città del Silenzio, 2018.
• D. Arecco-A. Miglietta, La mente nascosta dell'imperatore. Manoscritti storico-religiosi e filosofico-scientifici di Isaac Newton, Novi Ligure, Città del Silenzio, 2016.
• P.-L. Moreau de Maupertuis, La Venere fisica, Novi Ligure, Città del Silenzio, 2017.
• S. Maffei, Della formazione de’ fulmini, Novi Ligure, Città del Silenzio, 2018.
• W. Stukeley, Stonehenge restituito ai druidi. Il libro che ha anticipato l'archeoastronomia, in corso di stampa.
• M. Ghione, Il viaggio sulla Luna. Storia di un sogno tra letteratura e nuova scienza, Novi Ligure, Città del Silenzio, 2017.
• A. Sisti, La stampa a Novi. Libri, tipografi e istituzioni nei secoli XVI-XIX, Novi Ligure, Città del Silenzio, 2017.
• G. Galliano, Il Grand Tour nel Settecento. Viaggiatori francesi e inglesi, tra Piemonte e Liguria, Novi Ligure, Città del Silenzio, 2017.
• G. Galliano, Settecento inquieto, Novi Ligure, Città del Silenzio, 2018.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

DAVIDE ARECCO (President)

LUCA LO BASSO

PAOLO ROSSI

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Monday, February 19, 2019.

Class schedule

HISTORY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT (LM)

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists in an oral test only. Attendance is recommended: Exercise sessions and seminars will be held. Non-attending students who take the 6-CFU course will have 3 texts to read, while non-attending students who take the 9-CFU will have 4 texts to read, as per the reading list above. No further readings will be required. During classes, the professor could have some informal debates and Q&A sessions on the topics addressed by the course, through which he will be able to estimate students' growth in terms of culture and knowledge of the discipline.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam will be, always and only, oral. The exam grade will take into account, globally, the following ones: 1) knowledge of the exam topics (10 points); 2) ability to deepen and re-elaborate (10 points); 3) exposure (10 points).

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further information is not necessary