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Galilæana. Studies in Renaissance and Early Modern Science

Focus

Vol. 23 No. 1 (2026)

Everything in its right place: Francesco Maurolico and the classification of the sciences

DOI
https://doi.org/10.57617/gal-102
Submitted
11 November 2025
Published
2026-05-22

Abstract

European Renaissance was characterized by an unprecedented growth of information determined by discoveries of ancient texts and distant places, technological advancements, and a new attitude towards human culture and history. This growth urged scholars to reconsider the traditional schemas used to organize knowledge, and in doing so they were more often than not put at odds with a past that they were trying simultaneously to recover and challenge. The case of Francesco Maurolico is a prime example of the tension between tradition and innovation that marked Renaissance thinking: fully committed to the recovery of ancient mathematical knowledge and acutely aware of his own original contributions to the discipline, throughout his career Maurolico sought to hammer out a model of classification that could accommodate new mathematical content in a largely traditional structure. By analyzing Maurolico’s failed attempts at devising a satisfactory model, the essay aims to show how, during the Renaissance, mathematical research impacted culture at large, thus decisively contributing to the shaping of modernity.

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