Giants Upon Our Shoulders: A Philosophical History of Physics in Uruguay

This book offers the hitherto unknown history of physics in Uruguay. To describe this history, it is necessary to take a broader view of the first Latin American attempts at research in physics. These first researchers dedicated to the understanding of physics received the "giants" achievements of the discipline from Europe or the United States, but all they could do was find ways to preserve most of this knowledge. Thus, instead of thinking of science as an international enterprise in which all members participate with the same goal of looking far ahead, this book reflects on the real circumstances of Uruguayan and Latin American scientists, who were willing to become part of the international communities, but did not have the proper training, resources and cultural support to do so. That's why the history contained in this book is mixed with some philosophical problems about the real nature of the practice of physics and science in general. The mainstream definitions of scientific activity, or the proper concept of science should be adapted to material conditions and different kinds of aims and proposals. This book explores, based on the history of physics in Uruguay and Latin America, new standards of "the scientific" itself, making it of great interest to historians and philosophers of science and those interested in the history of Latin America and Uruguay in particular.

List of contents

Introduction.- 1 Genealogies of a discipline in the Río de la Plata.- 2 Towards Scientific Faculties.- 3 Physics and its problems at the university at the beginning of the 20th century.- 4 The theory of relativity and its cultural impact on the university.- 5 The university and science around 1950.- 6 The idea of Central Institutes for Scientific Research.- 7 Conclusions.- Index.

Product details

• Authors: Evelyn Mozo Meneses, Juan A Queijo Olano, Juan A. Queijo Olano
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 11.08.2025
• EAN: 9783031977282
• ISBN: 978-3-0-3197728-2
• No. of pages: 205
• Illustrations: IX, 205 p.
• Series: Studies in History and Philosophy of Science
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Natural sciences (general); Amerikanische Geschichte, Wissenschaftsphilosophie und -theorie, Philosophy of Science, History of Science, Latin American History, History of Physics, History of science in latin america, History and Philosophy of Science, History and philosophy of Science in Uruguay, Philosophy of Science in Uruguay, History of Science in Uruguay, Physics research programs in Latin America, Scientific communities in Latin America