Original scientific paper
The Concept of Phlogiston in the Courses at the Piarist College in Dubrovnik
Snježana Paušek-Baždar
; Zavod za povijest prirodnih, matematičkih i medicinskih znanosti HAZU, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
The paper deals with the concept of phlogiston in the treatise Trattenimente accademico sull'aria comune (1794) which was defended by Luka Sorkočević, Matija Lujo and Matija Ksaver Zamanja, students of the second and final year of the philosophical course at the Piarist College in Dubrovnik. It shows how the authors explained the relation between common air anf phlogiston, and how phlogiston was used to determine chemical affinity and explain the process of burning and breathing.
On one hand the paper discusses scientific value of the treatises and on the other the theses and questions that were printed in the school syllabuses. It also shows the amount of chemistry included in the physics lessons within the philosophical courses in general. The paper draws attention to the importance of the treatise in view of the subject that was very rare in the Croatian scientific circles.
The acceptance of the phlogiston theory and its introduction into the curriculum of the Piarist College of Dubrovnik shows that the degree of knowledge in it was not much below the degree of science in general.
Keywords
phlogiston; piarist; Dubrovnik
Hrčak ID:
240941
URI
Publication date:
30.6.1991.
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