Hydraulic Engineers and Antiquarians: Political Use of the Past in Nineteenth-Century Venice
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View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Nineteenth-century Venice reveals how hydraulic engineers increasingly used history for political aims, not just empirical data. This shift highlights the evolving relationship between science and humanities during a period of disciplinary divergence.
Area Of Science
- History of Science
- Hydraulic Engineering
- Environmental History
Background
- The 19th century saw a divergence between humanities and sciences, termed 'two separate cultures.'
- Venice, an amphibious city, provides a unique case study for historical water management debates.
- Early 19th-century interactions involved humanists and hydraulic engineers in dialogue and conflict over Venetian water policies.
Purpose Of The Study
- To analyze the intricate relationship between hydraulics and historical methodologies in 19th-century Venice.
- To explore how historical knowledge was utilized and transformed within hydraulic engineering contexts.
- To understand the evolving disciplinary boundaries between the sciences and humanities.
Main Methods
- Analysis of historical texts and writings, particularly those of Pietro Paleocapa.
- Examination of water management debates in 19th-century Venice.
- Interdisciplinary approach integrating historical and engineering perspectives.
Main Results
- Hydraulic engineers increasingly employed historical data for rhetorical and political purposes.
- A growing awareness of distinct methodologies between history and hydraulic engineering emerged.
- Pietro Paleocapa's work exemplifies this transition in the use of historical knowledge.
Conclusions
- The study demonstrates a shift in the function of history within hydraulic engineering, moving from empirical evidence to persuasive argumentation.
- This evolution reflects broader trends in the 19th-century separation of scientific and humanistic disciplines.
- The case of Venice underscores the complex interplay between historical context, scientific practice, and political objectives in water management.
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