NOCTUA
La tradizione filosofica dall’antico al moderno
History of Philosophy from the Ancient to the Modern Age
Autore / Author: Andrea Strazzoni
Affiliazione / Author affiliation: Erasmus University Rotterdam
Titolo / Title: The Didactic, Persuasive and Scientific Uses of Illustrations After Descartes
Abstract: The aim of this article is to unveil the ways of teaching new philosophical paradigms in Dutch Universities between Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century, by means of an analysis of the uses of illustrations in Cartesian and Newtonian natural-philosophical textbooks. This analysis allows to understand the overall functions of philosophical textbooks, where illustrations act as (a) conceptual means, filling the gap between the premise of a theory and its actual contents; (b) didactic means, aiming to help the reader in understanding scientific models fully explained in texts; (c) promoting or propagandistic instruments, useful to present theories in a fascinating way. Eventually, I argue for a positive correlation of the use of illustrations and the introduction of new philosophies, and for the existence of non-philosophical reasons for such use: as to the propagandistic function of illustrations intended as decorative means.
Keywords: Cartesianism; Dutch Universities; illustrations; natural philosophy; Newtonianism.
DOI: 10.14640/NoctuaII11
Anno / Volume: II
Fascicolo / Issue: 1-2
Pagine / Pages: 432-480
Pubblicazione / Publication date: 15/06/2015
Permalink: https://dx.doi.org/10.14640/NoctuaII11
E-theca OnLineOpenAccess Edizioni
ISSN 2284-1180