Actes du colloque Eprouver la science: Pierre Bouguer et le premier XVIIIe siècle : Nantes-Le Croisic, 6-7 juin 1998

This volume comprises the collected proceedings of a 1998 academic symposium held in Nantes and Le Croisic, dedicated to the life and scientific contributions of Pierre Bouguer. As a preeminent eighteenth-century French mathematician and hydrographer, Bouguer is best known for his foundational work in photometry and his pivotal role in the French Geodetic Mission to Peru. The symposium sought to recontextualize his research within the broader scientific culture of the early Enlightenment, emphasizing his rigorous methodology and experimental spirit.

The publication captures a multi-disciplinary effort to honor a figure whose influence often lived in the shadow of his contemporaries despite his profound impact on maritime navigation and ship stability. The contributing scholars focused on archival recovery and the analysis of Bouguer’s technical treatises, aiming to provide a comprehensive look at the obstacles he faced while defining the metrics of his time. The volume remains a valued reference for historians of science seeking a grounded understanding of the technological transition occurring in eighteenth-century France.