L'astrométéorologie : influence et évolution en France

摘要

Abstract During the French Renaissance, the climate expressed the mysteries of Nature and God's Will. Though heralded by numerous emotion-ridden forewarnings, its manifestations were omnipresent and unpredictable enough to require some meteorological knowledge to aprehend God's message. The science of atmosphere was consulted whenever the balance of collective systèmes of representations was upset, which made it necessary for astrologists to investigate this field, and thereby gain control over the weather forecast as well as the interpretation of climatic events, leaving to Aristotle's heirs the responsibility to describe and explain the movements of atmosphere. Thus, Astrometeorology, generating concepts as well as cultural practice - as can be unmistakably noticed throughout its literature - may be considered as one of the major aspects of 16th century meteorological thought. From ambitious treaties to mere day books, the texts all bear witness to its influence and evolution. As a matter of fact, far from being a set heritage, it gives birth to a representation pattern of climatic phenomena. This fully contributes to the new desire to discover the secrets of the world and follows the main disruptions affecting the idea of Nature. This study develops and original aspect of knowledge aquisition, which throws light on the history of progressive rationalisation of science in modern times as well as on the 16th century culture and sensibility.