Influencing Science During the Italian Renaissance
La storia. This Italian translation of history reflects the subject’s tendency to read like a story. History is our story. It shapes our present and foretells our future. Like every good story, history must have its protagonists; every good protagonist must have a mission, and throughout the story, supporting characters must shape the protagonist’s mission. While most readers of the story shower the protagonist with praise, the supporting characters also deserve attention. So it is with history. The big names are applauded, but it’s the little guys who may reveal the bigger picture. In the history of science, everyone recognizes the contributions of heroes like Copernicus and Galileo. But what of their supporting characters? Who influenced their missions to revolutionize science? Examining the influencers, the patrons, even the opponents of science throughout history offers greater insight into the culture and the science itself. Focusing on Italian science during the Renaissance period, I will explore the relationship between Italian cultural institutions of authority and science. The Catholic Church, the Medici, the university, and the ancient texts impacted Italian Renaissance scientific progress, and by understanding this impact, one may better comprehend our story.
I have chosen the Italian Renaissance as my time range of interest, a period that I understand as encompassing the 15th through 17th Centuries. Much was going on during this period of time: Renaissance, Reformation, Counter-Reformation, Scientific Revolution. Each of these fed into the next, influencing science along the way. Because Italy was the cradle of the Renaissance, I have selected Renaissance as the label for my timeline of Italian scientific examination. More significantly, I believe the title renaissance best captures the idea that science was far from isolated during this time – religion, politics, art, philosophy and more played keys roles in the “rebirth” of the subject. Transformations in Italian authoritative institutions reflect Renaissance ideological shifts, and as a result, scientific thought and progress reflect them too. Examining the cultural atmosphere during the Italian Renaissance, specifically through the dominant cultural institutions of the Catholic Church, the Medici family, universities, and ancient authorities offers insight into the history of Italian science.
I have chosen the Italian Renaissance as my time range of interest, a period that I understand as encompassing the 15th through 17th Centuries. Much was going on during this period of time: Renaissance, Reformation, Counter-Reformation, Scientific Revolution. Each of these fed into the next, influencing science along the way. Because Italy was the cradle of the Renaissance, I have selected Renaissance as the label for my timeline of Italian scientific examination. More significantly, I believe the title renaissance best captures the idea that science was far from isolated during this time – religion, politics, art, philosophy and more played keys roles in the “rebirth” of the subject. Transformations in Italian authoritative institutions reflect Renaissance ideological shifts, and as a result, scientific thought and progress reflect them too. Examining the cultural atmosphere during the Italian Renaissance, specifically through the dominant cultural institutions of the Catholic Church, the Medici family, universities, and ancient authorities offers insight into the history of Italian science.
Italian Scientific History in Images
I collected the images above during a class trip to the Museo Galileo, the Galileo Museum, of Florence. Formerly known as the Institute and Museum of the History of Science, the museum displays two floors worth of objects important to the history of science. Housing the Medici as well as Lorraine collections of scientific instruments, the Galileo Museum is evidence of the important role of patronage in Italian Renaissance science.