Abstract EN:

The birth of modern sciences (experimental sciences) can approximately be dated to the begining of the XVIIth century. Many historical and philosophical hypothesis have already been proposed to account for it. Amongst current hypothesis, there are those which emphazise on methodological, conceptual, political or sociological changes appeared in Europe around 1600. Most of these conceptions are based on clues emerging from scientific activity (historical data) rather than on any actual practice pecular of an experimental science. The fraction of those studies that focus on actual practice of experimental science (mainly sociological approaches) does not consider the scientist himself as an individual, but rather groups of scientists or even the scientific communauty as a whole. The work presented try to open the question of the cultural origin of modern sciences in the light of effective practice, with the purpose to understand experimental sciences from the point of view of the scientist himself. This general program encounters in the works of Gaston Bachelard, Georges Canguilhem and Michel Foucault a fruitfull material for further investigations. According to these works, it is argued that the cultural switch needed for the emergence and development of experimental sciences involves a psychological component, such as feelings and emotions. In other terms, science does not need only concepts, paradigms, methods, etc. , but also - and perhaps above all - a specific kind of feeling which inclines favourably towards experimental investigation. Such a specific feeling, if it exists, must be present nowadays in the particular psychology of scientists, and should be identifiable as a nuance of the experimental feeling. Thus, a detailed analysis of the specific shape of experimental psychology in contemporary scientists can provide an appropriate basis to reopen the question of the historical birth of modern science.