StrangeFactsUpdated

Language of Strange Facts in Early Modern

Science

Rishabh ShuklaMTech Fellow, Science

CommunicationNCSM Kolkata

February 5, 2016

Overview:

1. Strange Facts

Mock Sun

Bologna Stone

2. Reporting

Science Academies

3. Scientists standpoint

Aristotelian

Baconaian

4. Our Role

As Scientist/Res

earcher

As Reporter/ Journalist

Mock Suns is an atmospheric phenomenon that consists of a pair of bright spots on either side on the Sun, often co-occurring with a luminous ring known as a 22° halo.

Strange Facts:

Bologna Stone, attained some notoriety among alchemists for the phosphorescent specimens found in the 17th century near Bologna by Vincenzo Casciarolo.

Aurora Borealis, when first observed by Edmund Halley and Robert Boyle was comprehended as the conflicts of Men in Sky .

Strange Facts:

Fly seen under microscope, by Robert Hooke was described as a thing of beauty. He used a language of poet rather than a scientific examiner.

During 17th Century, When men was less aware of science, they came across new facts, and many of them were strange.

Reporting of Strange Facts in 17th Century:

Scientific societies were swarmed with reports of strange phenomena.

Paris Academy of Sciences proclaimed “Our century, so full of marvels of all kinds.”

In infancy these may seem vague, but may lead to paradigm shift when studied carefully.

Stones from Magnesia Magnets

1. Science is the corpus of demonstrated, universal truths, that which is always or that which is for the most part.

Bacon’s ViewAristotle's Views

Case of Aristotle and Bacon

1. Natural philosophy would have to take not only particulars but also strange particulars seriously.

For we are not to give up the investigation until the properties and qualities which are taken as miracles are comprehended as fixed law, so that all the irregularity can have common form.

2. Aristotelian natural philosophy shunned singularities and anomalies unless they can be generalized.

2. As these strange facts would act as epistemological brake over-hasty generalizations and axioms.

Problem in describing Strange Facts:

1.Unburdening the description.2. Texture of strange facts require new genre and a narrative form that would preserve the info.3. Strange facts strained the boundaries of everyday experience and everyday language.

Caption: The monster has been born in on St. Jacob’s Day and that “our holy father pope” has ordered that it to be given no food and allowed to die.

In order to safeguard the neutrality of strange facts with respect to religious and political interpretations as well as with respect to revival scientific theories natural philosopher should create a language that would not only forswear but also discourage interpretation.

Scientific Issue given a Religious Shape.

Our Role as Science Communicators:

They say "I understand something about the world, you don't, let me explain it to you".

Neither definition necessitates that what they say is True, just what they know to the best of their ability and understanding.

They say “I’m there, you are not, let me tell you about it”

Conclusion:

Strange facts no longer play a central role in scientific empiricism.

The language of strange facts aimed neither at transparency nor probability but rather at density and distinctness.

It is a deliberately epidermal language, a language of surfaces rather than essences, of secondary rather than primary qualities – a true language of phenomenon.

Thank You

About Author:

Lorraine Daston (born June 9, 1951, East Lansing, Michigan) is an American historian of science. Executive director of the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG) in Berlin, and visiting professor in the Committee on Social Thought at the University of Chicago, she is considered an authority on Early Modern European scientific and intellectual history. In 1993, she was named a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.