Solid and Useful Knowledge: An Analysis and Comparison of the Philosophical Transactions and the Journal des Sçavnas, 1665-1670

TitleSolid and Useful Knowledge: An Analysis and Comparison of the Philosophical Transactions and the Journal des Sçavnas, 1665-1670
Publication TypeThesis
Year of Publication1997
AuthorsFriedman, Judith Ellen
Number of Pages161 pp.
UniversityUniversity of Alberta, Canada
Thesis TypeMaster's Thesis
LanguageEnglish
Abstract

The first intellectual journal, the French Journal des Scavans, and the first scientific journal, the English Philosophical Transactions, both came into being in early 1665. This thesis first analyses and then compares the contents, style, and use of these two journals between 1665 and 1670 concentrating on the journals' interactions with the communities that they served. The Journal des Scavans and the Philosophical Transactions were two very different journals. They reflected the nature of mid-seventeenth century scientific and intellectual communities in England and France, communities that were developing in response to unique social and political realities. The Journal des Scavans and the Philosophical Transactions were created to meet the needs of their audiences and, in turn, they helped to guide the development of their respective communities and the rules that they were developing to govern scientific and intellectual discourse within and between their members.

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