History of science: study of the interaction between science and culture.

Period 1 January 1996 to 1 June 2006
Type Scientific Research Community
Coordinator Fernand Hallyn
Funding Agencies FWO
Cooperation between the Centre for Conceptual Dynamics (Ghent University; promotor Fernand Hallyn), the Centre for Logic and Philosophy of Science (Ghent University; promotor Diderik Batens), the Centre for Logic and Philosophy of Science (Free University Brussels; promotor Jean Paul Van Bendegem), the Centre for "Ideeengeschiedenis" (Catholic University of Louvain; promotor Geert Vanpaemel), the Department of History, Philosophy, and Communication of Science (University College London; promotor Arthur Miller), the Centre for Intellectual Culture (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen; promotor K. Van Berkel), the "Centre d'histoire des sciences et des techniques" (Université de Liège; promotor Robert Halleux), and URA, CNRS (Université de Lille III; promotor Jean Celeyrette). The attention is focussed on two periods : the beginning of the scientific revolution and the waning of positivism. Three themes have been selected : the coordinates of hypothesis formation; cultural interrelations (science and painting); the position of natural sciences in intellectual life.