The Trajectory of the illustrious Manuel Ferreira da Câmara in its "European Phase" (1783-1800)

Abstract

Manuel Ferreira da Câmara is known to history as a statesman and politician. His historical trajectory, however, was characterized by the association of his political interests with his work as a scholar of the natural sciences. The objective of the present article is to analyze Ferreira da Câmara's formation as a scientist within the context of the state policies of cultural and scientific renewal established during the reign of Dona Maria I. These policies sought to create a new corps of enlightened civil servants who would staff the state bureaucracies and form an "educated elite" which would be interested in the exploration of natural phenomena in Portugal and its colonies. We analyze three moments in this process: Ferreira da Câmara's studies at the Faculdade de Filosofia da Universidade de Coimbra, his entry into the Academia Real das Ciências de Lisboa and his scientific voyage to the main centers of mineral production in Central and Southern Europe.

Manuel Ferreira da Câmara; Luso - America Enlightenment; Academia Real das Ciências de Lisboa