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Literature in Dialogue with the Natural Sciences
Competing Claims from the Early Modern Period to the 20th Century
Thesis of the Book
The thesis of the book is that in the early modern period, literature claimed precedence over the observation of nature. There were shifts through phases of temporary parity, the priority of natural sciences in the 19th century, and their critique by literature in the 20th century.
Regional and Cultural Perspectives
These developments are presented in France and the Spanish-speaking world, while also considering Germany and England: While Montaigne, Pedro Mexia, Perez de Oliva, Vives, and Gracian prioritize literature, Pascal contrasts the esprit de finesse with the esprit de geometrie, opening a controversy that Linnaeus and Buffon continue.
Enlightenment and 19th Century Thinkers
Enlightenment thinkers like Voltaire orient themselves toward the English model, where Locke and Hume introduce empirical sciences whose advances Rousseau critiques. In the 19th century, Balzac and Perez Galdos engage with the natural sciences, with Zola later looking to Darwin and Comte as role models.
Modern Perspectives
Finally, the aporias of scientific thinking are highlighted by Ortega y Gasset, Borges, and Sabato.
