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Multa curiosa. Vallisneri's Early Studies on Earth Sciences
Full text linkIn 1687, after he graduated in Medicine, young Antonio Vallisneri (1661-1730) returned in the Duchy of Modena and Reggio. In those years he mainly served as general practitioner; nevertheless, he also devoted many studies to various aspects of the natural sciences. He performed many observations, accurately reporting them in seven "Quaderni" written between 1694 and 1701.
Though the Earth sciences occupy only a small part of these diaries, the accuracy of the notes makes them a precious token of the scientifijic praxis adopted by the author in this field of study. This paper deals with the analysis of these early geological reports, pointing out the main criteria of Vallisneri’s experimental method and paying attention to the great signifijicance which these documents had in the elaboration of some of his published works
‘Per la vertù propria dell’acque’: vene minerali e sorgenti nella Pirotechnia di Vannoccio Biringuccio (1540)
Full text link"Through the virtue of waters": Mineral ores and springs in Vannoccio Biringuccio's Pirotechnia (1540
Through dark and mysterious paths. Early modern science and the search for the origin of springs from the 16thto the 18thcenturies
Full text linkSince its first attempts to understand natural phenomena, early modern science devoted great attention to the problematic issue of the origin of springs. This essay examines the lively debate that emerged from the studies on fresh water during the years spanning from the mid-sixteenth century to the early eighteenth. By focusing on the interpretations advanced by several authors (including lesser known, but nonetheless important figures such as Mario Bettini, Edward Barlow, and Diacinto Cestoni), and by introducing Antonio Vallisneri’s Primi itineris specimen, an unpublished manuscript which reveals significant insights into the hydrogeological debate, a new analysis is provided of the heterogeneous factors which influenced the path of natural philosophy towards the comprehension of the water cycle. The conclusion suggests how a reconsideration of the intricate backgrounds underlying many scientific debates and concepts could play a critical role in solving a still controversial issue: science’s need for a history of science
Flood conceptions in Vallisneri's thought
Full text linkThe scientific studies of the Italian physician and naturalist Antonio Vallisneri
(1661–1730) were concerned with the cultural and religious implications of the debate on
fossils in the early decades of the eighteenth century. In De’ Corpi Marini he summarized the
main diluvial theories but declined to support them. He explained the presence of fossils in
strata in mountainous regions as the result of localized multiple flood and emersion sequences,
and restricted the direct action of God to the biblical Deluge. This theory clearly contradicted
the biblical interpretation provided by Catholic orthodoxy, which affirmed the existence of a
single global Deluge. Vallisneri therefore had to gloss over its real meaning and use a careful
self-censorship system, a strategy that he frequently used in his books. The comparison with
the work of several Italian and European authors had great relevance to Vallisneri’s theories.
He continually exchanged correspondence and natural objects with some of the most outstanding
of the eighteenth century natural philosophers. This involvement with other scholars deeply
influenced his thought, and helped him to reach a pre-eminent status in the Italian scientific
community of the time
Through dark and mysterious paths. Early modern science and the search for the origin of springs from the 16th to the 18th centuries
Full text linkAnatome. Sezione, scomposizione, raffigurazione del corpo nell'Età Moderna, a cura di Giuseppe Olmi e Claudia Pancino, recensione del volume
No full textLettere di Giovanni Arduino (1714-1795) Geologo, a cura di Ezio Vaccari, recensione del volume
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Bibliographical Distortions, Distortive Habits: Contextualizing Italian Publications in the History of Science
Full text linkOn scholarly traditions, quantitative assessments and academic malpractices in Italy, and how these factors affect Italian scholarship in the history of science
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