Article ID: CBB184956873

Transmitting Nautical and Cosmographical Knowledge in the 16th and 17th Centuries: The Case of Pedro Nunes (2018)

unapi

While it is generally accepted that texts concerning navigation written by the Portuguese mathematician and cosmographer Pedro Nunes (1502–1578) were influential in erudite circles of Europe, less is known about the real impact and diffusion of his work among the less educated, such as professionals associated with sea voyages. Did Nunes' theoretical contributions reach the relevant artisans and practitioners? If so, how did this come about? This paper uses the case of Pedro Nunes to investigate how complex theoretical ideas were transmitted to artisans in early modern Europe. It begins by examining the ways in which Nunes managed to interface with practitioners while working as a cosmographer. Second, it focuses on how his ideas, techniques, and results were used and transmitted by other agents, such as fellow cosmographers, navigation teachers, or mathematical practitioners. This paper concentrates on the transmission of such knowledge through vernacular texts – mainly navigation manuals and class notes – produced in the Iberian Peninsula and England in the 16th and 17th centuries. It shows how these agents facilitated the convergence between two distinct intellectual worlds – those of scholars and those of artisans – by rendering highly mathematical subjects more accessible to practitioners.

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Authors & Contributors
Collins, Edward
Almeida, Bruno
Nicolai, Roel
Gesteira, Heloisa Meireles
Sugar, Gabrielle
Silva, M. Céu
Concepts
Navigation
Travel; exploration
Mathematics
Astronomy
Sea travel
Science and culture
Time Periods
16th century
17th century
Renaissance
Early modern
18th century
15th century
Places
Portugal
Spain
England
Pacific Ocean
Lisbon (Portugal)
Islands of the Pacific
Institutions
Università di Roma
Jesuits (Society of Jesus)
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