Article ID: CBB000640496

The Hessen-Grossman Thesis: An Attempt at Rehabilitation (2005)

unapi

Freudenthal, Gideon (Author)


Perspectives on Science
Volume: 13
Pages: 166--193


Publication Date: 2005
Edition Details: Special issue on Technoscientic Productivity
Language: English

The work of Boris Hessen and Henryk Grossman on the emergence of early modern science is an attempt at a historical sociology of science and a historical epistemology of scientific knowledge. One of their theses is elaborated here, namely that early modern mechanics developed in the study of contemporary technology. In particular I discuss the thesis that the replacement of the Aristotelian concept of motion by the modern general and mathematical concept developed in the study of transmission machines. In addition to a discussion of the thesis and its implications, I also present a case study to substantiate the thesis. I show that Benedetti's famous refutation of Aristotle and his introduction of a new concept of motion depended on empirical knowledge of the newly invented treadle mechanism. I argue that although the historiography of science since the 1930s has explored many of the individual issues first raised by the Marxist historians of science, this perspective remains unique in that it establishes direct and informative connections between the grand narrative of the transition from agrarian-feudal society to industrial production in early capitalism and the development of science and technology down to specific cognitive issues such as shared assumptions concerning the natural order.

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Description On Giovanni Battista Benedetti's refutation of Aristotle. Argues his “new concept of motion depended on empirical knowledge of the newly invented treadle mechanism.” (from the abstract)


Included in

Article Klein, Ursula (2005) Introduction: Technoscientic Productivity. Perspectives on Science (p. 139). unapi

Citation URI
https://data.isiscb.org/isis/citation/CBB000640496/

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Authors & Contributors
Frank, Martin
Freudenthal, Gideon
Rick Kuhn
Ugaglia, Monica
Trigg, Andrew B.
Söderqvist, Thomas
Concepts
Marxism
Historiography
History of science, as a discipline
Historians of science, modern
Economics
Sociology of knowledge
Time Periods
16th century
20th century
Renaissance
20th century, late
20th century, early
Early modern
Places
Turin (Italy)
Italy
Soviet Union
Japan
Venice (Italy)
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