A Brief History of Meteorology and Oceanography at MIT Kerry Emanuel.
The History of Oceanography
16
Ancient roots, modern definition. University of Warwick, BSHS Postgraduates Conference, 4-6 January 2012 Lisa Taramaschi <[email protected]> Università degli studi di Genova (Italy)
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Transcript of The History of Oceanography
Ancient roots, modern definition.
University of Warwick, BSHS Postgraduates Conference, 4-6 January 2012
Lisa Taramaschi <[email protected]>
Università degli studi di Genova (Italy)
Margaret Deacon,“”Scientists and the sea,1650-1900.A study of marine science”.
“The development (of
marine science) was a
slow process,
chequered by
interruptions and
reverses, but it is often
possible to see an
underlying continuity of
ideas and methods.”
The History of oceanography BSHS Postgraduates Conference, 4-6 January 2012 | Lisa Taramaschi
We can find a process of growth of oceanography, whichhas its roots in the Greek-Roman world, even incosmological elaborations of religions and myths of thegreat civilizations, to reach finally the naturalphilosophers, in search of the arché that substantiatesand gives rise to the world.
The History of oceanography BSHS Postgraduates Conference, 4-6 January 2012 | Lisa Taramaschi
The roots of the science of the sea in the past:
Strabo (64/63 BC-24 AD)
Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD)
The History of oceanography BSHS Postgraduates Conference, 4-6 January 2012 | Lisa Taramaschi
The ipse dixit: Aristotle’s thought
The Greek philosopher (384-322 BC)faced the sea and its problems in thefour books of “Meteorologia” and insome of its “Problemata”.
Its position and the ideas he proposedbecomes the reference for the entireMiddle Ages and the following period.
The History of oceanography BSHS Postgraduates Conference, 4-6 January 2012 | Lisa Taramaschi
The Renaissance: the commentarieson the Aristotle’s “Metereologia”
Alexander Aphrodisiensis, “In quattuor libros metereologicorum Aristotelis commentatio lucidissima”, 1545.Niphus Augustinus, “In libris Aristotelis metereologicis Commentaria…”, 1547.Ludovicus Buccaferreus, “Lectiones, in secundum ac tertium meteororum Aristotelis libros”, 1570. etc.
The History of oceanography BSHS Postgraduates Conference, 4-6 January 2012 | Lisa Taramaschi
The XVIth treaties on the sea
Girolamo Borro, “Dialogo del flusso e riflusso del mare”, 1561.Nicolò Sagri, “Ragionamenti sopra la varietà dei flussi et riflussi del Mar Oceano Occidentale”, 1574.Giovanni Botero, “Aggiunte fatte di Giovanni Botero alla sua Ragione di Stato… con una Relatione sul Mare”, 1598.
The History of oceanography BSHS Postgraduates Conference, 4-6 January 2012 | Lisa Taramaschi
The first technologyOlaus Magnus (1490-1558) wrote in 1555 his masterpiece, “De gentibus septentrionalibus, earumque diversis statibus, moribus, ritibus, superstitionibus…”
The History of oceanography BSHS Postgraduates Conference, 4-6 January 2012 | Lisa Taramaschi
Camillo Agrippa published in 1595 his book, “Nuove inventioni di Camillo Agrippa milanese”.
The History of oceanography BSHS Postgraduates Conference, 4-6 January 2012 | Lisa Taramaschi
Some great scientists and the seaGalileo Galilei, “Dialogo sopra i due massimi sistemi del mondo”, 1632.René Descartes, “Les Principes de la Philosophie”, in “Oevres”, 11 vols, 1644.Athanasius Kircher, “Mundussubterraneus”, 1665.
The History of oceanography BSHS Postgraduates Conference, 4-6 January 2012 | Lisa Taramaschi
The central period: the 1660sIn the 1660 there was a fundamental step: the foundation of the Royal Society. From the Gresham College group, on 28 November the 1660 committee of 12 announced the formation of a "College for the Promoting of Physico-Mathematical Experimental Learning“.
John Evelyn, who helped found the
Royal Society.
The History of oceanography BSHS Postgraduates Conference, 4-6 January 2012 | Lisa Taramaschi
The fathers of the oceanography: Luigi Ferdinando Marsili
Luigi Ferdinando Marsili (1658-1730) wrote two fundamental textes:“Osservazioni intorno al Bosforo Tracio”, 1681;“Histoire Physique de la Mer”, 1725.
He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in November 1691.
The History of oceanography BSHS Postgraduates Conference, 4-6 January 2012 | Lisa Taramaschi
Robert BoyleRobert Boyle (1627-1691) studied the sea in its physical and chemical characteristics.He was able to:• summarize the best idea in the air that time;• join together academic knowledge and know-how from sailors’ world;• have a very modern scientific approach to the sea.
The History of oceanography BSHS Postgraduates Conference, 4-6 January 2012 | Lisa Taramaschi
The XIXth centuryMatthew Fontaine Maury (1806-1873) wrote in 1855 the “Physical Geography of the Sea”, one of the first books dedicated to the oceanography.
The History of oceanography BSHS Postgraduates Conference, 4-6 January 2012 | Lisa Taramaschi
The myth of the ChallengerThe cruise of the Challenger(1872-1876) was the firstoceanographic campaign,with systematic experiments,scientists on board (asCarpenter, Murray,Buchanan) and a big amountof data collected.
The History of oceanography BSHS Postgraduates Conference, 4-6 January 2012 | Lisa Taramaschi
To sum up…Oceanology
The science of the sea before the XIXth century, whenscholars were naturalists with encyclopedic interests and the discipline still lacked of systematic order, of specific theories and methodological statute.
Oceanography
The science of the sea after the XIXth century, with the canonization of the science of the sea thanks to scientific and technological progress.
