Chapter Knowledge in Motion: The Circulation of Maupertuis’s Discours sur les différentes figures des astres (1732) between Switzerland and Germany

This paper explores the circulation of philosophical ideas in the early modern period by examining the elaboration and reception of Pierre-Louis Moreau de Maupertuis’s Discours sur les différentes figures des astres (1732), widely regarded as the first Newtonian treatise ever published in France. Dr...

Olles dieđut

Furkejuvvon:
Bibliográfalaš dieđut
Váldodahkki: Storni, Marco
Materiálatiipa: Online
Giella:eaŋgalasgiella
Almmustuhtton: Firenze University Press 2025
Fáttát:
Liŋkkat:ONIX_20250801T173835_9791221505733_203
Fáddágilkorat: Lasit fáddágilkoriid
Eai fáddágilkorat, Lasit vuosttaš fáddágilkora!
_version_ 1869525866830102528
author Storni, Marco
author_browse Storni, Marco
author_facet Storni, Marco
author_sort Storni, Marco
collection Directory of Open Access Books
description This paper explores the circulation of philosophical ideas in the early modern period by examining the elaboration and reception of Pierre-Louis Moreau de Maupertuis’s Discours sur les différentes figures des astres (1732), widely regarded as the first Newtonian treatise ever published in France. Drawing on insights from cultural history, I argue that the circulation of knowledge was not only an intellectual process, but also involved practical and material factors. In particular, I emphasise the role of personal networks, such as that of Johann Bernoulli, in facilitating the dissemination of scientific and philosophical books across Europe. The paper also highlights the importance of reviews as a medium for engaging with new knowledge, influencing debates, and extending intellectual controversies beyond national borders. The example of Christian Wolff’s review of the Discours published in the Nova Acta Eruditorum in 1733 is used to illustrate the potential of reviews to “territorialise” – in Wolff’s case, “Germanise” – a foreign natural-philosophical debate.
format Online
id doab-20.500.12854ir-163398
institution Directory of Open Access Books
language eng
publishDate 2025
publishDateRange 2025
publishDateSort 2025
publisher Firenze University Press
publisherStr Firenze University Press
record_format ojs
spelling doab-20.500.12854ir-1633982025-08-02T05:06:23Z Chapter Knowledge in Motion: The Circulation of Maupertuis’s Discours sur les différentes figures des astres (1732) between Switzerland and Germany Storni, Marco circulation of knowledge Newtonianism Pierre-Louis Moreau de Maupertuis Johann Bernoulli Christian Wolff philosophical reviews. This paper explores the circulation of philosophical ideas in the early modern period by examining the elaboration and reception of Pierre-Louis Moreau de Maupertuis’s Discours sur les différentes figures des astres (1732), widely regarded as the first Newtonian treatise ever published in France. Drawing on insights from cultural history, I argue that the circulation of knowledge was not only an intellectual process, but also involved practical and material factors. In particular, I emphasise the role of personal networks, such as that of Johann Bernoulli, in facilitating the dissemination of scientific and philosophical books across Europe. The paper also highlights the importance of reviews as a medium for engaging with new knowledge, influencing debates, and extending intellectual controversies beyond national borders. The example of Christian Wolff’s review of the Discours published in the Nova Acta Eruditorum in 1733 is used to illustrate the potential of reviews to “territorialise” – in Wolff’s case, “Germanise” – a foreign natural-philosophical debate. 2025-08-02T05:06:22Z 2025-08-02T05:06:22Z 2025-08-01T15:52:43Z 2025 chapter ONIX_20250801T173835_9791221505733_203 3035-5923 https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/104753 9791221505733 https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/163398 eng Knowledge and its Histories open access image/jpeg Attribution 4.0 International https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/20.500.12657/104753/1/43857.pdf Firenze University Press 10.36253/979-12-215-0573-3.04 10.36253/979-12-215-0573-3.04 2ec4474d-93b1-4cfa-b313-9c6019b51b1a 9791221505733 14 Florence open access
spellingShingle circulation of knowledge
Newtonianism
Pierre-Louis Moreau de Maupertuis
Johann Bernoulli
Christian Wolff
philosophical reviews.
Storni, Marco
Chapter Knowledge in Motion: The Circulation of Maupertuis’s Discours sur les différentes figures des astres (1732) between Switzerland and Germany
title Chapter Knowledge in Motion: The Circulation of Maupertuis’s Discours sur les différentes figures des astres (1732) between Switzerland and Germany
title_full Chapter Knowledge in Motion: The Circulation of Maupertuis’s Discours sur les différentes figures des astres (1732) between Switzerland and Germany
title_fullStr Chapter Knowledge in Motion: The Circulation of Maupertuis’s Discours sur les différentes figures des astres (1732) between Switzerland and Germany
title_full_unstemmed Chapter Knowledge in Motion: The Circulation of Maupertuis’s Discours sur les différentes figures des astres (1732) between Switzerland and Germany
title_short Chapter Knowledge in Motion: The Circulation of Maupertuis’s Discours sur les différentes figures des astres (1732) between Switzerland and Germany
title_sort chapter knowledge in motion the circulation of maupertuis s discours sur les differentes figures des astres 1732 between switzerland and germany
topic circulation of knowledge
Newtonianism
Pierre-Louis Moreau de Maupertuis
Johann Bernoulli
Christian Wolff
philosophical reviews.
topic_facet circulation of knowledge
Newtonianism
Pierre-Louis Moreau de Maupertuis
Johann Bernoulli
Christian Wolff
philosophical reviews.
url ONIX_20250801T173835_9791221505733_203
work_keys_str_mv AT stornimarco chapterknowledgeinmotionthecirculationofmaupertuissdiscourssurlesdifferentesfiguresdesastres1732betweenswitzerlandandgermany