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SUMMARY:An Enlightenment tradition of characterising and caricaturing scie
 nce and scientists: why words (and nerds) matter. - Dr Jenny Mander (Depar
 tment of French\, University of Cambridge)
DTSTART:20140509T171500Z
DTEND:20140509T181500Z
UID:TALK49552@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Dr Stephen D Hoath
DESCRIPTION:The word 'Geek' was deemed 'word of the year' for 2013 by at l
 east one dictionary. This talk will begin with tracking the significant sh
 ift in usage of words like Geek and Nerd (both are seen emblazoned on T-sh
 irts\nfrom a certain high-street store) to reflect on the place of science
  in popular culture today. This will serve as introduction to considering 
 the place given to science in the Age of Enlightenment in France and its r
 ole within the world of letters. Particular reference will be made on the 
 one hand to the monumental *Encyclopédie ou dictionnaire raisonné des sc
 iences\,\ndes arts et des métiers* edited by the philosopher Denis Didero
 t and the mathematician Jean le Rond d'Alembert who sought to create a net
 work of\nknowledge in anticipation of the world wide web. On the other\, t
 here will be reflection on the satirical yet informed treatment by the phi
 losopher Voltaire of Fontenelle\, permanent secretary of the French Academ
 y of\nScience\, and the scientific team led by the mathematician\, astrono
 mer and physicist Maupertuis who led an expedition funded by the Academy t
 o Lapland\nwhere he verified Newton's theory that the earth was flattened 
 at the poles. In both cases\, the importance of words for scientific commu
 nication can be foregrounded.\n 
LOCATION:Seminar Room\, Wolfson College
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