[HPS] Nick Wilding – Of Telescopes and Angels: the Theological Origins of Early Modern Cyborgs

Chers amis,

The last History and Philosophy of Science seminar of this academic year will be held this Thursday at 5:30pm. Details below. All are welcome.
La dernière de nos conférences pour cette année scolaire aura lieu ce jeudi à 17h30. (Details en bas; ouvert à toutes et à tous).

Nicholas Dew
History, McGill

(Avec nos excuses si vous recevez ce message plus d’une fois / With apologies for cross-posting)

(English follows)

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Université McGill
Histoire et Philosophie des Sciences
Série de conférences, Hiver 2008

Le jeudi 10 avril 2008, à 17h30 :

Nick Wilding (Georgia State University)

« Of Telescopes and Angels: the Theological Origins of Early Modern Cyborgs »

(conférence en anglais ; résumé en anglais ci-dessous)

3647 rue Peel, Pavillon des études sociales de la médecine, (au-dessus de l’avenue du Docteur Penfield). Ouvert à tou(te)s.

Pour en savoir plus, consultez:
http://www.mcgill.ca/hpsc/lectures/

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McGill University
History and Philosophy of Science
Winter 2008 Seminar series

Thursday, April 10, at 5:30pm:

Nick Wilding (Georgia State University)

“Of Telescopes and Angels: the Theological Origins of Early Modern Cyborgs”

Social Studies of Medicine building, 3647 Peel (above Dr Penfield).

All welcome.

Abstract:
When early modern natural philosophers used instruments to enhance sensory perception, they also fashioned and adapted cultural tools to understand their modified bodies. As is well known, members of the Royal Society used the figure of prelapsarian Adam as the naturalising topos to make sense of their new powers. But what happened elsewhere? This paper will look at the role of angels in
early seventeenth-century European natural-philosophical culture. Angels were not only deployed as socio-epistemological ideals by a wide variety of natural philosophers; they also performed much of the
work of instrument manipulation and calculation. This angelic labour was part of a larger task set for them by early modern states.

For more information, see:
http://www.mcgill.ca/hpsc/lectures/