Kuhn and Gombrich: Creativity, continuity and discontinuity in science and art

This paper discusses creativity, continuity and discontinuity in science and in art by drawing parallels between Kuhn and Gombrich. It seeks to show that, while the idea of strict cumulative progress in the history of science, as well as in the history of art, was abandoned as a new historiography emerged that was sensitive to ruptures, this does not imply denial of all continuity. However, continuity in this context is not a mere logical continuity, but rather a more complex theoretical and historical relation

Kuhn and the historiographical revolution

Kuhn devoted great attention to scientific revolutions, but did not investigate what he called the “historiographical revolution”, a revolution in the Humanities, in the writing of the history of science, of which he was one of the main protagonists. In this article, after setting the stage in previous works, I attempt to outline how this revolution took place. I will argue that there was a revolutionary change in the historiography of science, but without a debate that corresponded to a revolution in the Kuhnian sense. This, as I will also try to show, does not mean that there has not been a debate of this kind. I argue that, due to theoretical and historical circumstances, the debate has shifted to the philosophy of science. The conflict, which began with a tension between the new historiography of science and the “old” philosophy of science (and led to the development of a new philosophy of science), had as one of its immediate and most important fronts precisely the relationship between history of science and philosophy of science

Kuhn, Sarton, and the history of science

ABSTRACT The scientific work of Leonardo da Vinci may have served as the main inspiration for the historical research of George Sarton. Although he never produced a work he felt was worthy of its subject, the little that he did write about Leonardo reveals the importance he attributed to him in the history of science. This is especially clear in Sarton´s treatment of Leonardo and a discovery he did not make: William Harvey´s discovery of blood circulation in the 17 th Century. In this article, we refer to this particular episode to trace Sarton´s conception of the development of science. It is a conception that illustrates well the traditional historiographic perspective that is the target of Thomas Kuhn´s criticisms. Although Kuhn never wrote about Leonardo or Harvey, we aim to show that he clearly positioned himself contrary to Sarton, albeit indirectly, with respect to this particular historical episode, as well

Evaluation of sunflower cultivars for central Brazil.

Despite a large availability of areas suitable for sunflower cropping in Central Brazil, few adapted cultivars are available in the market. The objective of this work was to select sunflower cultivars adapted to this important production region. Experimental data from 2000 to 2004 were obtained by the National Sunflower Trials, coordinated by Embrapa Soja. The evaluated traits were grain and oil yields. Two criteria were used for selection of cultivars: i) the general mean obtained from different environments; ii) partitioning of general mean in favorable and unfavorable environments. Partitioning of the general mean allowed to detect the specific environment indicated for each cultivar. For grain yield, the cultivar Helio 251 presented general indication, Milênio and CF 17 could be indicated for favorable environments and ACA 884, ACA 885 and ACA 872 for the unfavorable ones. For oil yield, CF 13, Milênio, DK 4030, Helio 250 and ACA 872 had general indication; AG 966, GH 12, GV 26043, CF 17 and VDH 93 could be indicated for favorable environments, while VDH 488, Helio 251, ACA 884 and ACA 885 for the unfavorable conditions. In 2002, the partition of the general mean was not carried out. In this year, general mean of cultivars Exp 37, AG 962, GV 26048 and AG 967 were overweight the controls for grain yield and the cultivars AG 962, AG 967, GV 26048, AG 972, BRS 191, Guarani were overweight the controls for oil yield

Fenologia e análise fitoquímica de plantas medicinais de ocorrência na Amazônia.

A determinação da fenologia das plantas medicinais é de fundamental importância para a obtenção de extratos. O trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar e caracterizar fitoquimicamente espécies medicinais de ocorrência na Amazônia, provenientes de coleções e bancos de germoplasma da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental no período de agosto de 2000 a julho de 2003, visando o uso e manejo correto das espécies. No processo de avaliação das plantas medicinais foram consideradas época de floração e frutificação. A abordagem fitoquímica foi realizada através de screening fitoquímico com as espécies Adenocalymna alliaceum, Cecropa obtusa, Eugenia uniflora e Peperomia pellucida, identificando os principais grupos de compostos orgânicos. No processo de identificação das 255 espécies existentes no horto da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, dentre as 54 famílias existentes, 160 espécies foram identificadas. A maior concentração de espécies que floraram ocorreu nos meses de abril e maio, enquanto que a de menor ocorreu no mês de outubro. O período de maior frutificação ocorreu em maio e novembro, enquanto que o de menor ocorreu em março e agosto. Os resultados da análise fitoquímica revelaram a presença de açúcares redutores, proteínas e aminoácidos, saponina espumídica e taninos em todas as espécies analisadas