Rene Taton

See also: Taton

Rene Taton (1915, the Scale; 2004, Ajaccio) was a historian of sciences. A long time coeditor with Suzanne Delorme of the Re-examined history of sciences .

With Pierre Costabel, it will direct the Center Alexandre Koyré.

It allowed the historian sciences to acquire a recognized professional statute.

Masterly the " quadrige" general Histoire of sciences (last edition 1996, PUF) is one of the best books of reference in Histoire of sciences, than practically any TDCI of large college has.

Its career

  • Pupil of the National university of Saint-Cloud (promotion 1935)
  • Aggregate of mathematics 1941
  • Pupil of Gaston Bachelard, 1946 and starts its thesis on Gaspard Monge;
  • Meeting with Pierre Sergescu (taken refuge Rumanian, ex-director of the Polytechnic school of Romania, Rings of Maria Karsterska)
  • Rencontre Maurice Daumas (history of the scientific instruments, history of science), of Suzanne Delorme, Pierre Costabel
  • 1948: meet with George Sarton (directing review Isis );
  • Via W.I. Ivins, discovers news of Girard Desargues;
  • 1951: thesis on Monge, complementary thesis on Desargues.
  • 1952: enter to CNRS, in section of philosophy, only aggregate of mathematics.
  • 1954-1971: succeed Sergescu with the head of ICSU (International Council off Scientific Unions), promoted by UNESCO of post-war period.
  • Since 1948, promoted the conferences of the Palais of discovered the, the seminar of history of mathematics of the IHP (Institut Henri Poincaré)
  • Since 1950, two personalities dominate: Alexandre Koyré and raises it Bachelard, Georges Canguilhem (street of the Furnace).
  • In 1957, creation of the section history of sciences of the EHESS, with the collaboration of Fernand Braudel and Alexandre Koyré (12, rue Colbert), and Taton succeeds Koyré of 1964 to 1983.

Its works

  • to continue the integral calculus (collection of the Moreux Abbot), 1945?
  • History of the calculation (Which do I know?), 1946
  • Prospect (with Albert Flocon) 1963, P.U.F., coll do I That-Know? ,
  • mechanical calculation (with Jean-Paul Flad) 1963, P.U.F., coll do I That-Know?
  • Causality and Accidents of the scientific discovery
  • general History of sciences (of 1957 to 1964), republication (1966-1983).
  • Last writings , 2000, joined together by R. Halleux

  • It is considered, via its work meticulous person on Gaspard Monge (1746-1818) and Girard Desargues (1591-1661), like the Master in history of the prospect: in particular, it leaves the shade good number of protagonists whose least is not Johann Heinrich Lambert (1728-1777).

The general History of sciences

Is this work in 3 volumes and 4 volumes a sum of 3.272 pages, coordinated by Rene Taton, over one decade, one can say directed work? Yes, in the direction where the project superintendent chooses his collaborators and imposes a style: history not cocardière, referred on precise facts, requirement for exhaustiveness of the bibliography, etc
  • the first volume: medieval sciences calls upon 21 authors.
  • the second, Rebirth: 24 and H.Cohen
  • the third: 25 whose 11 of the 2 first + Youchkevitch and Zubov
  • the fourth explode: 56 of which Ronchi. Inevitably, dispersion is larger, and less strict methodology.

The Who' S Who of Gillespie of 1970 makes it possible in the second republication to supplement the work.

The edition of the " quadrige" in 1996 a broad diffusion will allow this work, which remains still a reference in methodology for the historians of sciences

Its correspondence

Very abundant. Let us note its relations with Jean Rostand, Le Corbusier who consults it for the work: Modulor , George Sarton, director of Isis , etc

See too

Internal bond

External bond

  • Conference in homage to Rene Taton

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