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Last updated: 2011-08-31

ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS

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Dějiny věd a techniky, No. 2, Vol. XLIV (2011)

PAPERS


DVT 112, 75
Projekty Franze Gustava Wolffa z Lokte o náhradě parního pohonu vozidel mechanickými systémy v letech 1846–1865
Ladislav Mergl

Projects of Franz Gustav Wolff from Loket (Elbogen) on the substitution of steam engines of vehicles by mechanic systems in 1846–1865.
The 19th century was not only an era of outstanding inventors. In the time when railways were build for steam power and where the trains pulled by steam locomotives were well applied, it was also an era when cranks tried to substitute steam engine propulsion with systems based on another principle.

Key words: technology ● drive ● mechanic systems ● the half of the 19th century ● West Bohemia ● Elbogen ● Fr. G. Wolff

Summary: The author of the article tries – after thorough study of archival sources – to map the long-time efforts of Franz Gustav Wolff, Sr., and his son Franz Eduard Wolff, both from Loket (Elbogen) in the West Bohemia, to substitute steam engines with cheaper and less-demanding vehicles, primarily using the energy of manpower. Simple calculations prove the unreality and inefficiency of such a project, which from today’s historical-technical viewpoint documents the level of physical knowledge and the opinions in the first half of the 19th century.


DVT 112, 98
Transnacionální obrat? Nové trendy v konceptu světových/evropských dějin a jejich aplikace při studiu dějin technologií
Jiří Janáč

Transnational turn-over? New trends in the concept of world/ European history and their application at the history of technology studies.
History based largely on artificial interpretations from a unified national point of view has become the target of increasingly systematic criticism. The limitations of a dominant national perspective surfaced in discussions of processes that are not detectable at the level of national state or that are overshadowed by hegemonic national discourse. The history of technology clearly belongs to the historical sub-disciplines in which, to certain degree, a transnational perspective is inherent by definition.

Key words: history ● transnational ● technology ● infrastructure ● Europe ● tensions of Europe

Summary: The last two decades have witnessed a boom in historical publications claiming to offer a transnational history. In the history of technology the pan-European research network and program „Tensions of Europe. Technology and the Making of Europe“ has sought since 1999 to define and explore ways to study transnational European history through the lens of technology. This paper – using the examples from research on European infrastructures – attempts to present and evaluate the results and the prospects of transnational history for the history of technology.

DOKUMENTY


DVT 112, 117
Jaroslav Kolár: Vědec a přítel Zdeněk Horský
K vydání připravil Tomáš Hermann

Scientist and friend Zdeněk Horský.
The newly established section devoted to documents brings as yet unpublished article of the literary historian Jaroslav Kolár (*1929) about his colleague, historian of astronomy Zdeněk Horský (1929–1988).

Key words: Zdeněk Horský ● historiography of science ● history of astronomy ● Jaroslav Kolár

Summary: Jaroslav Kolár’s article on his colleague and friend was written shortly after Zdeněk Horský’s death and was intended as a sort of introduction to the unrealized collection of his papers. It offers – apart from the immediacy of personal testimony on Z. Horský – an honest characterization of his work on the border of exact disciplines and humanities and some interesting and as yet unknown biographical data and information on his professional orientation and his perception of the discipline of the history of sciences, for example Horský’s admiration for theological knowledge. Noteworthy also are the circumstances of his participation in the conference in Walberberg in 1985 together with Horský’s participation in the excursion to Kues where he was able right away to describe the oldest star globe deposited there.



© M. Barvík 2008