Zhou Lihong.The Networked Character of Meteorological Observations during the French Enlightenment and the Underlying Impetuses[J].Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Social Science Edition),2026,66(02):87-100.
Zhou Lihong.The Networked Character of Meteorological Observations during the French Enlightenment and the Underlying Impetuses[J].Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Social Science Edition),2026,66(02):87-100. DOI: 10.11714/jsysu.sse.202602009.
Meteorological observations during the French Enlightenment unfolded in a networked form from the very beginning, undergoing an evolutionary trajectory that progressed from individual collaborative observation to research-institution-organized networks, then to government-led networks, and ultimately toward socialized observation networks. The formation of this observational network was driven both by the professional pursuit of collective collaboration and data sharing in modern science, and by social factors such as the popularization of daily meteorological observation and the improvement and widespread adoption of observational tools. Governments and research institutions formed alliances centered on the exploration of practical knowledge, guiding meteorological observations to serve the public undertakings advocated by the state. This network encompassed multiple actors, characterized by a blend of spontaneity and organization. It not only embodied the cross-sector collaborative spirit advocated by the Enlightenment, but also revealed the in-depth interaction between science and the state in the process of the institutionalization of science in France.