Sign-In
Cart
Science in France in the Revolutionary Era
Paperback
Series: MIT Press Classics
ISBN13: 9780262523653
Publisher: Mit Pr
Published: Mar 17 2003
Pages: 258
Weight: 0.65
Height: 0.60 Width: 5.30 Depth: 7.90
Language: English
Thomas Bugge, Danish Astronomer Royal, spent six months in France in 1798-99 as his country's delegate to the International Commission on the Metric System, and while there he made a close study of the postrevolutionary scientific and cultural scene. Written up in the form of letters, these observations were later published as Travels in the French Republic. The present work includes much of this material, some published in English for the first time, the rest unavailable except in a scarce English edition of 1801. The editor's principle of selection has been to include, among others, those sections that relate in particular to the institutions of science in France, and he provides a commentary introducing each section.
The institutions of modern science, and their relation to the state, were to a considerable extent developed or perfected in the France of the First Republic. The conference on the metric system mentioned earlier might be described as the world's first international scientific meeting. Specialized technical schools were being established in numerous fields as whole new technologies were developed. The government, for the first time in history, had begun to support science financially on a large scale and to employ scientists engaged in both military research and pure pursuits. Some prominent men of science held positions as ministers of state, while others were highly influential advisers to the government. And in many other ways science matured in this period, taking on the institutional form it retains to this day. There are a number of reasons why the state supported science so lavishly, among them its desire to expiate for the early excesses of the Revolution, marked by the disbanding of the Academie des sciences and the execution of Lavoisier. Also, science had proved its worth to the military: the work of such men as Monge, Fourcroy, de Morveau, and Berthollet in directing the manufacture of gunpowder and cannon helped stave off an invasion by foreign armies in 1793-94.
Among the institutions of which Bugge gives a detailed account are the Ecole normale, the écoles centrales, the Ecole poly technique; schools for public service including the naval schools, the Ecole d'artillerie, and the Ecole des mines; the schools of medicine and pharmacy; the College de France; the Military Hospital for Instruction, and other medical institutions; the National Institute; the National Observatory and the Board of Longitude; the School of Military Ballooning; the Conservatoire des arts et metiers. Bugge also had interesting comments on the Louvre and the Bibliothèque Nationale.
Other concerns taken up by Bugge and reprinted here are state expenditures on scientific and allied institutions for the year 1799, instruments and instrument makers, steam engines, powder factories, the metric system, and revolutionary festivals.
Also in
Sports General
The Formative Years of Relativity: The History and Meaning of Einstein's Princeton Lectures
Renn, Jürgen
Gutfreund, Hanoch
Hardcover
The Science Magpie: Fascinating Facts, Stories, Poems, Diagrams and Jokes Plucked from Science
Flynn, Simon
Paperback
Every Dog Deserves an Adventure: Amazing Stories of Camping with Dogs
Tracosas, L. J.
Camping with Dogs
Hardcover
This Is about Running. This Is Not about Running.: Lessons for Between and Beyond the Start and Finish Line
Bennett, Chris
Hardcover
The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance
Gallwey, W. Timothy
Paperback
Pardon My Book: Ten Years of the Best (and Worst) in Sports from Pardon My Take
Big Cat
Commenter, Pft
Hardcover
Big Fan: Two Friends, 82,490 Miles, and the Wild, Wonderful Sports We Love
Schur, Michael
Posnanski, Joe
Hardcover
Long Range Shooting Handbook: Complete Beginner's Guide to Precision Rifle Shooting
Cleckner, Ryan M.
Paperback
I Told You So!: Scientists Who Were Ridiculed, Exiled, and Imprisoned for Being Right
Kaplan, Matt
Hardcover
The Magical Game: The Spirit and History of Baseball's Superstitions, Rituals, and Curses
Baird, Addy
Hardcover
The Age of Alchemy: The Secret History of Chemistry from Ancient Magic to Modern Science
Chapman, Kit
Hardcover
The Ultimate Survival Medicine Guide: Emergency Preparedness for Any Disaster
Alton, Joseph
Alton, Amy
Paperback
Inside the Owner's Box: Conversations on Power and Leadership in Sports
Rubenstein, David M.
Hardcover
The Playbook: The Hidden Forces Shaping Winners and Losers in the Modern NFL
Robinson, Joshua
Clegg, Jonathan
Hardcover
The Long Game: U.S. Men's Soccer and Its Savage, Four-Decade Journey to the Top, or Thereabouts
Schaerlaeckens, Leander
Hardcover
A Pox on Fools: The True Believers, Grifters, and Cynics Who Convinced Us to Reject Vaccines
Levenson, Thomas
Hardcover
The Diet-Proof Body: 5 Simple Habits to Lose Fat, Keep It Off and Escape Diet Prison for Good
Harrison, Trent
Paperback
The Plunge: Maverick Swimmers, an Unlikely Quest, and the Transformative Power of Cold Water
Ballard, Chris
Hardcover
The Great Shadow: A History of How Sickness Shapes What We Do, Think, Believe, and Buy
Bauer, Susan Wise
Hardcover
Compete: Developing a Mental Playbook for Performance Under Pressure in Sport
Abrahams, Dan
Paperback
The Power of Life: The Invention of Biology and the Revolutionary Science of Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
Riskin, Jessica
Hardcover
Relegated: One American's Pints-And-Pies Journey from the Top to the Bottom of English Football
Smith, Todd
Hardcover
The Ultimate Soccer Jersey Collection: Iconic Kits from the World's Greatest Game
Football Shirts, Classic
Hardcover
The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science
Sobel, Dava
Paperback
Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising That Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education
Pilates, Joseph H.
Paperback
Harvey Penick's Little Red Book: Lessons and Teachings from a Lifetime in Golf
Penick, Harvey
Hardcover
Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection (Large Print Edition)
Green, John
Paperback
Take Me to Your Leader: Perspectives on Your First Alien Encounter (Large Print Edition)
Tyson, Neil DeGrasse
Hardcover
A Walk in the Wood: Meditations on Mindfulness with a Bear Named Pooh
Parent, Joseph
Parent, Nancy
Hardcover
A Year of Forest School: Outdoor Play and Skill-Building Fun for Every Season
Worroll, Jane
Houghton, Peter
Paperback
2084 and the AI Revolution, Updated and Expanded Edition: How Artificial Intelligence Informs Our Future
Lennox, John C.
Hardcover
Bioinspired: How Nature Made Us Modern, Drives Today's Technological Innovation, and Inspires a Future Worth Inventing
Stier, Samuel Cord
Hardcover
Lottery Books; How To Win The Powerball Lottery.: Proven Methods And Strategies To Win The Powerball Lottery
Secrets, Powerball Money
Paperback
Friday Night Lights (25th Anniversary Edition): A Town, a Team, and a Dream
Bissinger, H. G.
Paperback
String Theory: David Foster Wallace on Tennis: A Library of America Special Publication
Wallace, David Foster
Hardcover
Todo Es Tuberculosis. La Historia de la Infección Más Mortal de la Humanidad / Everything Is Tuberculosis
Green, John
Paperback
Motorcycle Life: Stories, Wisdom, and Obsession from Riders Around the World
Hendrikx, Eric
Hardcover
How to Read Nature: Awaken Your Senses to the Outdoors You've Never Noticed
Gooley, Tristan
Paperback
Pheasant Tail Simplicity: Recipes and Techniques for Successful Fly Fishing
Mathews, Craig
Chouinard, Yvon
Mazzo, Mauro
Paperback
The Inner Game of Tennis (50th Anniversary Edition): The Classic Guide to Peak Performance
Gallwey, W. Timothy
Hardcover
Coaching with Heart: Taoist Wisdom to Inspire, Empower, and Lead
Huang, Chungliang Al
Lynch, Jerry
Paperback
Emerald City Trail: A Walking Guide Through Seattle & Our Olmsted History
Hendrickson, Peter
Paperback
Knicker Bonkers: The New York Knicks' Wild NBA Championship Run to End a 53-Year Title Drought
New York Post
Paperback
Our Moon: How Earth's Celestial Companion Transformed the Planet, Guided Evolution, and Made Us Who We Are
Boyle, Rebecca
Paperback
The Pleasure of Finding Things Out: The Best Short Works of Richard P. Feynman
Feynman, Richard P.
Paperback
Alchemy: An Illustrated History of Elixirs, Experiments, and the Birth of Modern Science
Ball, Philip
Hardcover
The Story of CO2 Is the Story of Everything: How Carbon Dioxide Made Our World
Brannen, Peter
Paperback
Fast Guide to the RULES OF GOLF: A Handy Fast Guide to Golf Rules (Pocket Sized Edition)
Golfwell, Team
Paperback
Lambeau Ladies: The Boundary-Breaking Women Behind Lombardi's Packers
Biskupic, Katherine
Kostelnik Biskupic, Laura
Paperback
The Powerful Primate: How Controlling Energy Enabled Us to Build Civilization
Ennos, Roland
Hardcover
Your Guide to the 2026 World Cup: Everything You Need to Know about the Players and Teams
Stay, Shane
Paperback
Horse Country: Inside the World of Equestrian Style and Sport, from British Dressage to Western Riding
O'Shea-Evans, Kathryn
Hardcover
Notes on Complexity: A Scientific Theory of Connection, Consciousness, and Being
Theise, Neil
Paperback
Sleeping Beauties: Why Good Ideas Go Dormant and How They Wake Up (Large Print Edition)
Byrne, David
Paperback
Art of Divination: A Visual History of Oracles, Prophecy, and the Search for Secret Knowledge
Davies, Owen
Hardcover
The Great Atom Debate: Ernst Mach, Ludwig Boltzmann, and the Battle for the Essence of Reality
Halpern, Paul
Hardcover