Preclassical Mechanics in Context: Practical and Theoretical Knowledge Between Sovereignty, Religion, and Science

Rivka Feldhay*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

This chapter delineates a map of mutual dependencies between sovereign rulers, religious establishment, scientists, engineers as well as artists in the early modern Catholic world, circa 1550–1650. The juridical structure of sovereign states is the subject of the first section. The effect of military and economic pressures is discussed in the second section and the disciplining power of religion in the third. The fourth section shortly presents a case study that exemplifies the way traditional mechanical knowledge was transformed and also how it operated in the service of state and church.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationBoston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science
PublisherSpringer Nature
Pages29-53
Number of pages25
DOIs
StatePublished - 2018

Publication series

NameBoston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science
Volume270
ISSN (Print)0068-0346
ISSN (Electronic)2214-7942

Keywords

  • Giovanni Botero
  • Jean Bodin
  • Jesuits
  • Mental models
  • Preclassical mechanics
  • Sovereignty

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