Victor Navarro-Brotons – författare

This book includes most of the contributions presented at a conference on “Univ- sities and Science in the Early Modern Period” held in 1999 in Valencia, Spain. The conference was part of the “Five Centuries of the Life of the University of Valencia” (Cinc Segles) celebrations, and from the outset we had the generous support of the “Patronato” (Foundation) overseeing the events. In recent decades, as a result of a renewed attention to the institutional, political, social, and cultural context of scienti?c activity, we have witnessed a reappraisal of the role of the universities in the construction and development of early modern science. In essence, the following conclusions have been reached: (1) the attitudes regarding scienti?c progress or novelty differed from country to country and follow differenttrajectoriesinthecourseoftheearlymodernperiod;(2)institutionsofhigher learning were the main centers of education for most scientists; (3) although the universities were sometimes slow to assimilate new scienti?c knowledge, when they didsoithelpednotonlytoremovethesuspicionthatthenewsciencewasintellectually subversivebutalsotomakesciencearespectableandevenprestigiousactivity;(4)the universities gave the scienti?c movement considerable material support in the form of research facilities such as anatomical theaters, botanical gardens, and expensive instruments; (5) the universities provided professional employment and a means of support to many scientists; and (6) although the relations among the universities and the academies or scienti?c societies were sometimes antagonistic, the two types of institutionsoftenworkedtogetherinharmony,performingcomplementaryratherthan competing functions; moreover, individuals moved from one institution to another, asdid knowledge, methods, and scienti?c practices.

This book includes most of the contributions presented at a conference on “Univ- sities and Science in the Early Modern Period” held in 1999 in Valencia, Spain. The conference was part of the “Five Centuries of the Life of the University of Valencia” (Cinc Segles) celebrations, and from the outset we had the generous support of the “Patronato” (Foundation) overseeing the events. In recent decades, as a result of a renewed attention to the institutional, political, social, and cultural context of scienti?c activity, we have witnessed a reappraisal of the role of the universities in the construction and development of early modern science. In essence, the following conclusions have been reached: (1) the attitudes regarding scienti?c progress or novelty differed from country to country and follow differenttrajectoriesinthecourseoftheearlymodernperiod;(2)institutionsofhigher learning were the main centers of education for most scientists; (3) although the universities were sometimes slow to assimilate new scienti?c knowledge, when they didsoithelpednotonlytoremovethesuspicionthatthenewsciencewasintellectually subversivebutalsotomakesciencearespectableandevenprestigiousactivity;(4)the universities gave the scienti?c movement considerable material support in the form of research facilities such as anatomical theaters, botanical gardens, and expensive instruments; (5) the universities provided professional employment and a means of support to many scientists; and (6) although the relations among the universities and the academies or scienti?c societies were sometimes antagonistic, the two types of institutionsoftenworkedtogetherinharmony,performingcomplementaryratherthan competing functions; moreover, individuals moved from one institution to another, asdid knowledge, methods, and scienti?c practices.

Entre los siglos XV y XVIII Europa fue escenario de una serie de novedades, cambios o transformaciones en los saberes acerca de la naturaleza, en los procedimientos y métodos empleados para describirla y explicar sus procesos, y en la manera de organizar las actividades o prácticas relacionadas con estos saberes. El presente libro ofrece un conjunto de trabajos basados en los resultados de investigaciones del autor realizadas a lo largo de varias décadas y en una amplísima bibliografía, dedicado todo ello a la actividad desarrollada en el ámbito de las disciplinas matemáticas o físico-matemáticas y sus aplicaciones, así como en filosofía natural, en la sociedad española de los siglos xvi-xviii. Todo ello, desde una perspectiva comparada y dejando de lado estériles apriorismos o construcciones ideológicas acerca de la «ciencia española».

Jerónimo Muñoz es uno de los científicos más destacados de la historia valenciana y española. Fue catedrático de hebreo en la Universidad de Ancona y de matemáticas y astronomía en las de Valencia y de Salamanca. En su época disfrutó de un enorme prestigio en España y en Europa, sobre todo gracias a sus trabajos sobre la supernova de 1572, citados y comentados por algunos de los mejores astrónomos europeos. Trabajos que aún hoy en día mantienen su interés para los astrofísicos que estudian el remanente de este fenómeno. El primer mapa del entonces reino de Valencia, editado por Abraham Ortelio en Amberes, se basó en los trabajos de Muñoz y se puede considerar obra suya. La labor de Muñoz fue continuada por sus discípulos, profesores en Valencia y Salamanca o cosmógrafos al servicio de la Corona en el Consejo de Indias. El objeto del libro es el estudio de las obras impresas y manuscritas de Jerónimo Muñoz, y de su biografía y personalidad intelectual.