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The Beginning of the Epistemological History of Science: Gaston Bachelard’s Responsibility

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Handbook for the Historiography of Science

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Abstract

This chapter seeks to show that the historicization of epistemology is a decisive moment in the transformation of twentieth-century French philosophy of science and that the “epistemologization” of the history of science is its counterpart. The main argument is that epistemological history cannot exist without historical epistemology. The lifelong work of Gaston Bachelard for a “new scientific mind” is at the origin of this important innovation both in epistemology and in the history of science. The current debate on historical epistemology can gain greater awareness about its origins by rereading Bachelard’s epistemological work and by considering its consequences in the French context (Canguilhem, Althusser, Lecourt, Foucault, Serres). The so-called French style in epistemology can enrich contents for both historical epistemology and epistemological history without separating them too precisely.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ex Università La Sapienza and EHESS, Rome, Italy

    Enrico Castelli Gattinara

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  1. Enrico Castelli Gattinara
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

    Mauro L. Condé

  2. Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil

    Marlon Salomon

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Castelli Gattinara, E. (2023). The Beginning of the Epistemological History of Science: Gaston Bachelard’s Responsibility. In: Condé, M.L., Salomon, M. (eds) Handbook for the Historiography of Science. Historiographies of Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99498-3_16-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99498-3_16-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-99498-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-99498-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Humanities, Soc. Sciences and Law

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    The Beginning of the Epistemological History of Science: Gaston Bachelard’s Responsibility
    Published:
    21 July 2023

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99498-3_16-2

  2. Original

    The Beginning of the Epistemological History of Science: Gaston Bachelard’s Responsibility
    Published:
    14 May 2023

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99498-3_16-1

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