Lazzaro Spallanzani and spontaneous generation: the experiments and the controversy Eduardo Crevelário

Abstract

This article discusses the researches performed by the Italian naturalist Lazzaro Spallanzani (1729-1799) on spontaneous generation. For this is an idea no longer accepted, the theme is often dealt with irony by anachronistic historical reports. In such cases, it discredits that the idea has already been held by many researchers of nature, through many centuries. The goal of this work, after presenting a historical overview of ideas of the main authors concerned with the issue, is to analyze the experiments of Spallanzani on the generation in the context of the Eighteenth Century theories and the controversy between Spallanzani and John T. Needham (1713-1781). There will be also a brief discussion of the epistemic and non-epistemic elements that participate in the solution, or not, of scientific controversies.