History Of Science Research Articles

THE HISTORIOGRAPHY OF UKRAINIAN PHILOSOPHY AND THE STUDIES IN HISTORIOGRAPHY OF PHILOSOPHY IN UKRAINE

Drawing on recent publications on studies in historiography of philosophy in French-, English-, and German-speaking philosophy, the author clarifies the subject matter and tasks of studies in historiography of philosophy as a historico-philosophical approach, in particular, counting among such subjects the images of philosophy's past constructed by histories of philosophy, as well as the historiographical attitudes of historians of philosophy and the contexts and factors that determine these historiographical attitudes. The article analyses the conceptions and implementations of three projects of studies in historiography of philosophy that have taken place in Ukraine in recent decades: the project of “History of Historico-philosophical Science”, led by Yu. Kushakov in the 1980s and 2000s and dedicated to the study of historico-philosophical conceptions of German and Russian philosophers of the 19th and early 20th; S. Rudenko's study of post-Soviet methodological approaches to the history of Ukrainian philosophy (2012); and the Ukrainian part of the bilateral project “Philosophy in the system of national culture: comparative analysis of historico-philosophical studies in Belarus and Ukraine” (2011-2012), led by V. Yevarousky and S. Yosypenko. Based on the results of the latter project and on his more recent research, the author outlines the socio-political, general philosophical and institutional context in which the historiography of Ukrainian philosophy was formed and functioned during the 20th century; analyses the images of the history of Ukrainian philosophy created by D. Tschižewskij and V. Horskyi, which embody two extreme points in the development of the historiography of Ukrainian philosophy in the 20th century; and points out the changes in the general philosophical and institutional context of historico-philosophical research in independent Ukraine and the consequences of these changes for the further development of the historiography of Ukrainian philosophy.

A STRUCTURE FOR HISTORY: REFLECTIONS FROM KUHN’S HISTORIOGRAPHIC STUDIES

In the present work, we aim to analyze Lorraine Daston’s critiques of the historiographical value of Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions: we will defend its relevance from the attacks of “the history of contingencies”. Daston’s proposal asserts that the Kuhnian historiographical programme of professionalizing the history of science (moving it towards history departments to the detriment of science departments) has been fulfilled but has resulted in the abandonment of the Hegelian spirit from Kuhn’s historiography, i.e. the search for “a structure” of the history of science has been abandoned. We will analyze and incorporate the recent responses from K. Brad Wray and Pablo Melogno. Finally, through a thorough analysis of the relationships between philosophy and the history of science, particularly in Kuhn’s work, we will propose a defense of the systematic and explicit use of metatheoretical structures for historiographical endeavors.

BEFORE STRUCTURE. THE RISE OF KUHN’S CONCEPTUAL SCHEME IN THE COPERNICAN REVOLUTION

Thomas S. Kuhn’s intellectual development could be summed up in a two-stage course, first, the transition from physics to the history of science (primarily physics) and then from the history of science to the philosophy of science, a field in which he achieved consecration with The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (SSR) published in 1962. In the 1950s, before SSR, Kuhn dealt with the history of science and, finally, developed a detailed research on the case of the Copernican Revolution, publishing a book with the same name. The Copernican Revolution. Planetary Astronomy in the Development of Western Thought (CR). My aim in this paper is to argue that in this case study Kuhn identified all those situations that he will later describe in the terms of the SSR’s vocabulary, from “paradigm” and “incommensurability”, to “normal science” and “scientific revolution.” I think that although the terminological options in CR differ, such as, for example, the use of the expression “conceptual scheme” for what will later be called “paradigm”, a simple conceptual archaeology directs us to claim that CR is the immediate predecessor of SSR.

A Lantern View from The Ruwenzori Mountain Range

This article explores the role of magic lantern performances in Belgian colonial history, and their impact on broader discussions on science communication and colonial representations. It centers on a lantern lecture that recounted a scientific expedition to the Ruwenzori mountain range in the Belgian Congo in 1932, extensively illustrated with photographic slides. Our analysis focuses on the performative strategies employed by Ganshof Van der Meersch, the lecturer, to frame his scientific discourse on the Ruwenzori mission. Drawing on visual tropes and the narrative structures of an adventurous travel story, he emphasizes the hardships and heroism of the expedition members. While the scientific aspects of the mission are highlighted, the lecture predominantly portrays the scientific process and the heroic endeavors of the members, rather than delving into the region’s fauna and flora. This narrative reinforces Western superiority over the colonized territory and its inhabitants, aligning with imperialist agendas. Enhanced by captivating visuals, the lecture strategically evokes emotional engagement to solicit financial support. By examining these dynamics, the article unveils the underlying mechanisms behind science communication in service of colonial endeavors. In the broader context of colonial studies and the history of science and knowledge, this analysis contributes to understanding of how performance-based science communication was used to advance the colonial agenda.

Дорожное хозяйство Дальнего Востока России в период новой экономической политики (1922–1927 гг.)

The article highlights the work on the establishment of the road works management apparatus, the road works themselves carried out in the Far Eastern region after the Civil War and intervention. There were certain organi-zational difficulties in road construction, which were managed only after the creation of the Far Eastern Railway District. The authors give a brief list of restored and under construction dirt and highway roads of both state and local importance. At the same time, particular attention is paid to the construction of the Amur-Yakutsk highway, the laying of which began during the First World War. The article discusses the main problems of the industry’s development: lack of funds, lack of engineering and technical personnel and road workers. This, in turn, caused the need to use the free labor of the surrounding peasants in the construction of local roads. The first steps in the mechanization of road works in the region are highlighted. When writing the article, the authors relied on methodological principles generally recognized in historical science, the most important of which are the principle of objectivity and the principle of historicism.

EDMUND T. WHITTAKER, PHYSICS AND CATHOLICISM. THOUGHTS OF A CONVERT

In 1951, Pope Pius XII gave a long speech with the unequivocal title ‘The proofs for the existence of God in the light of modern natural science’, dealing with the relationship between modern science, Thomism and theology. The event was widely reported in the British press partly because the only living scientist quoted in that discourse was the Edinburgh emeritus professor of mathematics and convert to Catholicism, Edmund T. Whittaker (1873–1956), who was, in the 1930s and 1940s, producing his own corpus on the then-popular subject of science and religion. In this article, using the vast and unexplored correspondence between Whittaker and his son, the mathematician John M. Whittaker (1905–1984), I shall explore his thoughts and popular works, in which he mixed modern physics and mathematics, philosophy, apologetics, and theology. Whittaker is well known among historians of science for his A history of the theories of aether and electricity , the work of a hard-working, self-trained history aficionado. Similarly, after his conversion (in 1930, at the age of 57), Whittaker started reading and forming his own views around the official philosophy of the Catholic Church, Thomism. The core idea with which he justified his conversion and which would be the backbone of his speculations on natural theology was ‘sacramentality’. With it, he thought he could bridge the gap between mathematics, modern physics, and religion, and all with a sui generis embrace of Thomism.

KUHN’S PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY OF SCIENCE AND THE DEFENSE OF SCIENTIFIC RATIONALITY

In the present paper, I provide a reconstruction of Kuhn’s philosophy of history of science based mainly on Kuhn’s criticism of Lakatos. My goal is to examine the compatibility of the Kuhnian philosophy of history with his explicit aspiration to defend scientific rationality. I argue that the Kuhnian philosophy of history is essentially formed by three tenets: (a) contextualism, (b) radical anti-presentism, and (c) naturalism. I conclude that the combination of those three tenets is incompatible with the logical distinguishability between being-justified and being-taken-to-be-justified, which is a prerequisite for the proper defense of scientific rationality.

Violence and the public narratives of history of science

The value of the humanities is severely limited by outmoded chronological frameworks, which continue to dominate public discussion and educational curricula while being rejected in current research. Even in adjacent academic fields, the history of science is often understood as a series of revolutions, particularly the much-criticised ‘Scientific Revolution’ of the 17th century. The view of science as a sequence of dramatic revolutions, famously articulated in the work of Thomas Kuhn, originated around 1900 in attempts to market a Eurocentric view of science-based industrial progress. It is, however, seriously misleading. The key issue is violence. The concept of scientific revolutions locates epistemic violence within specialist communities, obscuring the role of the sciences in colonial conquest and in silencing other ways of knowing. (This article is published in the thematic collection ‘The arts and humanities: rethinking value for today—views from Fellows of the British Academy’, edited by Isobel Armstrong.)

CONSERVATISM AND LIBERALISM: THE SEARCH FOR A COMPROMISE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF HISTORICAL SCIENCE IN RUSSIA

In the article, the author reviews modern research on the history of the development of conservatism in Russia. In particular, the problem of finding a compromise between conservative and liberal approaches in the context of the development of Russian historical science is considered.

2000 лет со дня рождения Плиния Старшего

The article is timed to the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Pliny the Elder (23–79 A.D.), the author of «Natural History», in which two last volumes are devoted to rocks and minerals. Attention is drawn to the fact that he was the first to fix polyhedron attributes (faces, edges, vertices) on perfect natural crystals. It was not until 16 centuries later that their measurements led to the empirical laws of N. Steno (1638–1686) and R. J. Haüy (1743–1822). Translations from «Natural History» are given according to V. M. Severgin, descriptions of the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 are taken from the XVI letter to Tacitus by Pliny Jr. The purpose of the article is to accurately set the stage for the history of mineralogy and crystallography. It is aimed at historians of science, as well as teachers, graduate students and students of geological faculties of universities. The citation of old and ancient authors in the article is important to prove the main thesis — the priority of Pliny the Elder, and also aims to attract young researchers to read primary sources.

Was Copernicus an Astrologer?

The question ‘Was Copernicus an astrologer’ is prima facie very clear, while in fact being quite ambiguous. This question should rather be regarded as a vast topic covering lots of more concise questions such as ‘Was Copernicus thoroughly educated in astrology?’, ‘Did Copernicus believe in astrology?’ or ‘Did a mature Copernicus practice astrology?’ Unfortunately, thus far, consensus has not been achieved among historians on any of them. Accordingly, the topic has been for some time, and still is, a battlefield of the most acrimonious debates in Copernicology, nay, perhaps in the whole history of science. Carefully made distinctions and subsequent analysis of the common pro et contra arguments enabled this paper to arbitrate the different perspectives. None of the arguments has been found to have a decisive force. In general, while the pro lines of reasoning are normally based upon insecure or even faulty inductive logic, their contra counterparts often suffer from ex silentio inferences or even ad ignorantiam fallacy. Two new, subtle arguments have been introduced instead. They can be considered as genuine new evidence allowing for the resolution of some lingering doubts. First, the natal charts of Copernicus that were cast in the middle of the 16th century have been studied. The excessively exact birth hour of Copernicus at 4:48 PM has quite naturally been expected to be a result of a preliminary astrological rectification. However, apparently it was not rectified by the algorithms most popular at the time. The findings suggest the number-symbolic rather than astrological inclinations of Copernicus. Further, a careful analysis of Copernicus’s annotations in the Alfonsine Tables revealed a link between the misprints corrected by him and the ancient observations he included in De Revolutionibus. Consequently, an extensive astrological use of the tables by him can be excluded with a high probability. Moreover, Copernicus likely never used Regiomontanus Tables on a regular basis either. The conclusion integrates all the available arguments pertinent to the relationship of Copernicus with astrology.

Academician V. H. Serheiev – Control System Designer, Founder of the Scientific and Design School, Honored Citizen of Kharkiv (on His 110th Birthday)

March 5, 2024 marks the 110th birthday of Volodymyr Hryhorovych Serheiev, an outstanding scientist, chief designer of control systems for strategic combat missiles, launch vehicles, spacecraft and transport modules of orbital complexes, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and an Honored Citizen of Kharkiv. Despite his significant scientific achievements in the field of rocket and space engineering, the silhouette of V. H. Serheiev is hardly reflected in the modern history of science. Based on representative sources, the article highlights the main achievements of the scientist in the field of dynamics of automatic control systems and the design of rocket and space engineering control systems. The summary of the most prominent space projects is based on the memories of witnesses and direct participants. The personal qualities of V. H. Serheiev as the head of the Special Design Office No. 692 are noted. The historical retrospective describes technical developments and inventions meant to improve the control systems of intercontinental ballistic missiles R-16, R-16У, R-36, R-36П, R-36 orbital, R-36М, R-36М UTTH, UR-100N, UR-100HU, and R-36М2. At the initiative of V. H. Serheiev, complex stands were developed, which worked non-stop in all modes of operation of the necessary equipment and solved complex scientific and technical problems of creating an on-board digital computer. V. H. Serheiev was the chief control system designer of space launch vehicles Kosmos, Kosmos-2, Cyclone-2, and Cyclone-3 and Tselina series spacecraft. The article features innovative solutions implemented under Serheiev’s leadership during the creation of the Energia launch vehicle, supply vehicles of the Almaz space rocket system and target orbital modules of the Saliut and Myr space stations, and international launch vehicles Dnipro, Rokit and Strila. The article considers the issues of V. H. Serheiev’s direct participation in the organization of the training system for scientific personnel in the relevant specialties at Ukraine’s higher education institutions, as well as the development of international cooperation. It is substantiated that the scientist created one of the leading science and construction schools for the development of control systems for rocket and space technology, which is internationally recognized. The authors emphasize that V. H. Serheiev devoted a lot of attention to people. At his initiative and with his support, a district named after the founder of aerodynamics, M. Y. Zhukovskyi, was created in Kharkiv for the employees of “Hartron” enterprise. The district was not far from the enterprise and had a well-developed infrastructure, such as kindergartens, schools, shops, a swimming pool and a complex of residential buildings.

The arts and humanities: rethinking value for today—introduction

This kaleidoscope of short pieces derives from two Fellows Engagement Week sessions (2022, 2023) in which speakers from across the British Academy—Theatre Studies, Anthropology, Modern History, History of Science, English, Philosophy, Music—gave ten-minute talks on the civic value of the arts and humanities. The British Academy’s SHAPE acronym, answering the Royal Society’s STEM formulation, understandably stresses the economic importance of arts and humanities in today’s challenging technological world (E is for Economy). The remit of this forum, however, was to remake and reclaim arguments for the civic importance of arts and humanities, recognising that accounts of the arts are often based on 19th-century arguments that no longer have force today. Three themes emerge from this forum: the importance of collaboration, the non-instrumental significance of aesthetic experience, and the centrality of language to civic life. (This article is published in the thematic collection `The arts and humanities: rethinking value for today—views from Fellows of the British Academy’, edited by Isobel Armstrong.)

Prof. dr hab. Lucyna Elżbieta Śliwa – Lady of <i>Lecanora</i>

In 2024, Professor Lucyna Śliwa celebrates her sixtieth birthday and the fortieth anniversary of her scientific career. Her achievements in lichenological research, along with her professional career and the positions she has held, ensure her a place in the history of science forever.

Understanding the various scientific theories in the history of science

Understanding the various scientific theories in the history of science

Mellan disciplin och profession.

This article describes and analyzes the formation of subject didactic research through the interaction between different disciplinary starting points and the new demands for profession-oriented interdisciplinary research fields, with subject didactics serving as an example. The focus is on the early development of literature didactics in Sweden. The main research question is: How have early internal factors, such as the discipline of literary studies, and external factors, including changes in the school system, education policy, or the social climate in general, influenced or contributed to the repertoire of research questions, methods, and theories within the field now known as literature didactics? The material analyzed, from the perspective of the history and sociology of science, consists of the scientific production from two early literary didactic contributions (1960–1980). The results follow two lines. The first formulates and develops subject didactic relevant issues from interdisciplinary starting points. The second develops subject didactic research based on the practical aspects of school teaching. Both lines of development in subject didactic research are strengthened and accelerated by external research funding, which also brings them closer together in several respects. The results are discussed based on Fensham's (2003) criteria for when a subject didactic research field can be considered established, Bernstein's (2003) dichotomy between singularities and regions, and Abbot's (2001) fractal theory for the development of new disciplines and research areas. The main conclusion is that the heterogeneity of the current field, in terms of paradigmatic orientations, and its homogeneity in certain theoretical starting points and recurring questions, can be clarified through this prehistory.

The Scientific Frontiers of Neuroengineering, the Treatment of Schizophrenia and the Visionary Future

Science, civilization and mankind are today in the path of newer scientific divination as regards application of neuroscience and neuro-engineering in diverse areas of science and technology. Neuroengineering is the agglomeration of neuroscience, experimental neuroscience, computational neuroscience, neurology, electrical engineering and nanotechnology. The scientific frontier of neuro-engineering needs to be envisioned and revamped with the passage of scientific history and time. Scientific provenance, scientific divination and scientific revelation are the key highlights of neuroengineering, neuroscience and electrical engineering science today. Today the science of psychiatry and psychology are merged with neuroengineering and neuroscience. The author is a schizophrenic patient since November,2023. From October 2012, he is diagnosed with glaucoma in his both eyes. In this article, the author deeply and profoundly highlights the lucid and insightful world of neuroengineering and the science of psychiatry. This article is targeted towards a newer world in the field of neuroengineering with a deep interface with the trials and tribulations in his life as regards treatment of schizophrenia.

Restoring a natural skeleton of a premature infant from the early twentieth century

Traditional anatomical preparations as they are often found in university collections are both historical treasure and moral responsibility of the hosting institutions. These remains not only represent the tradition and history of anatomical science and education, but above all are the remains of human beings and thus should be treated with dignity. While the discussion on public display of historical human remains is ongoing, the responsibility to keep them in an optimal state of preservation is not in question. However, most time-honored anatomical collections do or did not have the financial and/or technical capacity to keep these high standards, underlining the need for exchange of technical know-how between anatomical institutes and the support of restoration/conservation professionals. Here, we present a state-of-the-art conservation and restoration of a fetal natural skeleton from the early twentieth century along with the professional documentation of restoration-measures. Therefore, we used modern photo- and video documentation, including photogrammetry, as well as UV- and x-ray-examinations to record historical and new restoration procedures. We carried out measures to reconstitute the structural stability of the skeleton. Moreover, we replaced lost parts of the left foot skeleton, and critically discuss the legitimacy of body part replacement in historical specimens. We are convinced, that similar cases of insufficiently preserved specimens can be found in most anatomical collections. Therefore, this article is not only intended to document the state-of-the-art conservation and restoration of a natural skeleton, but also serve as an inspiration for similar campaigns in other institutions in the future.

Are cows pickier than goats? Linnaeus’s innovative large-scale feeding experiment

Abstract In 1749, Linnaeus published Pan Svecicus, a thesis that was defended by his student Nils Hesselgren. The thesis describes food preference trials in cows, goats, sheep, horses, and pigs, and includes 2325 tests with 643 plant species. The data had surprisingly little bearing on the text in the thesis, and even though the experiments quickly became internationally known, the data were merely repeated, rather than discussed. We have digitized the data and linked the species names to modern nomenclature and present the first analysis and discussion of the results. Pigs were most selective (eating 32% of the 204 plant species that were tested on all animals), followed by horses (59%), cows (66%), sheep (82%), and goats (85%). The ruminants (especially goats and sheep) had high overlap in food choice, and the pigs deviated most (despite the fact that pigs are more closely related to the ruminants than are horses). Among plant orders, Fabales and Poales were generally preferred, while Lamiales and Ranunculales were avoided, especially by cows and horses. Cows and horses were also more keen to avoid toxic plant species. All animals showed a preference for species that are today considered nutritious. We now make the data available, for further analyses in ecology, history of science, and other disciplines.

­Soviet ‘Easterns/Osterns’ of the 1920s: Adventure Films on the Caucasian Frontier of Russia

The article elucidates the issue of representation in Soviet cinema of historical events that transpired during the formation of the Caucasian frontier and the interactions that emerged between the indigenous population and the tsarist troops. The term “Eastern” is analogous to the term “Western” which refers to films about the exploration of the Wild West. This is a useful way of conceptualizing Soviet silent films created on Caucasian material from the 19th–early 20th centuries. This article aims to examine feature films from the 1920s that depict Russia’s advance into the Caucasus. It seeks to identify similarities and differences between these films and the first Soviet “Easterns/Osterns” and “Westerns,” as well as to analyze the influence of ideological attitudes in historical science on the interpretation and depiction of events that took place on the Caucasian frontier. The visual sources utilized in this study include the silent films ‘Abrek Zaur’ (1926), ‘The Law of the Mountains’ (1927), and ‘Zelimkhan’ (1929). Additionally, published materials from the 1920s, including periodicals such as newspapers and magazines, were consulted. The study yielded insights into the stylistic similarities between classic Westerns and the first Soviet Easterns, including the portrayal of protagonists, the use of action and stunts, and the incorporation of jumps. The content of the films is correlated with real historical events, but they reflect the Bolshevik paradigm of history in the study of ethnosocial conflicts in the Caucasus. In films about highlanders, masculine culture is a dominant feature due to gender attitudes and the national cultural identity of the peoples of the Caucasus. Films about mountaineers were instrumental in shaping perceptions of the Caucasus during the early decades of the twentieth century. They illustrate the attributes of traditional culture, daily life, customs of mountain village inhabitants, the characteristics of the landscape, and architectural features. In general, films of an adventurous nature created on Caucasian material are of interest to those with an affinity for classic cinema, particularly the earliest Soviet Eastern films, as well as to researchers seeking to gain insight into significant historical and cultural information. This article is intended for those engaged in the study of the history of Soviet cinema.