Contributions of a “park ranger” to the studies of animal behavior in the 18th century

DOI: https://doi.org/10.51919/revista_sh.v1i1.174
Keywords: Intersubjective experiences, Park ranger, Ethology, History of sciences

Abstract

We intend to discuss the contributions of the French naturalist Charles Georges Leroy (1723-1789) to the study of animal behavior. Leroy was a park ranger who, at the height of the French Enlightenment, produced knowledge about the behavior of animals in nature parks. His position gave him many opportunities to observe and accompany animals. Leroy criticized the studies of animal behavior carried out by philosophers or naturalists in offices, who had no field experience, which was essential to discover the animal worlds. Going further, Leroy, unlike most intellectuals of the time, was opposed to Cartesian and anthropocentric mechanistic ideas, recognizing, in animals, abilities such as intelligence and sensitivity.

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Published
2020-05-11
How to Cite
Alves d’Almeida, C., & Macedo Costa Dantas, R. M. (2020). Contributions of a “park ranger” to the studies of animal behavior in the 18th century. Scientiarum Historia Magazine, 1(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.51919/revista_sh.v1i1.174
Issue
Vol 1 (2018): Scientiarum Historia
Section
História e Filosofia das Ciências e da Matemática

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