10、Mechanics: From Art to Science and the Blurring of Boundaries

Mechanics: From Art to Science and the Blurring of Boundaries

1. The Elevation of Mechanics from “ars” to “scientia”

In the Renaissance, the rediscovery of the Aristotelian Quaestiones Mechanicae led to a significant shift in the status of mechanics. It transitioned from being considered an art to a theoretical science, taking a pivotal position between mathematics and natural philosophy.

The original Aristotelian text noted the dual - nature of mechanics, stating that mechanical questions had commonalities with both mathematical and natural speculations. However, it firmly classified mechanics as an art, as it was a skill used to overcome the difficulties of acting against nature.

In 1525, Niccolò Leonico Tomeo, in his Opuscula, followed the