Humboldt entre a filosofia da natureza e a ciência moderna / Humboldt between the philosophy of nature and modern science

This work aims to identify the influence of German thought, above all, the philosophy of nature in Humboldt's “modern science”. He brings from the philosophers the conception of the harmonious totality of nature as an organism to recognize the existence of a connection between the forces of nature and its form captured by intuition. The philosophy of nature exposes the bond between the visible world and the upper world that escapes the senses. Humboldt, however, is not only concerned with the contemplation of nature, but also seeks to measure it, bringing it closer to his eyes to understand its internal connections. The technical and scientific instruments are also an extension of his gaze and his hand. Humboldt want to combine the measurement and quantification with the enjoyment afforded by intellectual intuition in touch with the landscape. The Cosmos, therefore, is presented as a whole to be deciphered through observations and comparisons, but also through an aesthetic perception of natural phenomena