Concepções sobre a natureza da luz no século XVIII em Portugal

Abstract

Until the mid-eighteenth century, theories about the nature of light that were taught in universities and colleges in Portugal were, with rare exceptions, the peripotetic ones. It was only after the Pombaline Reform of 1772 that the teaching of new sciences was officially imposed in Portugal. From then on, modern theories about light, predominantly Newtonian corpuscular theory, gained a significant number of adherents, although other movements, including the eclectic ones, continued to have some relevance in Portuguese scientific culture. In this article, some of the cultural, political and religious factors that contributed to the delay in the introduction of new sciences and theories in Portugal will be touched upon and briefly discussed. The conceptions about the nature of light of some well-known and influential authors will be presented, as well as those of lesser known authors who exemplify the state of Portuguese scientific culture in the 20th century. XVIII.