Russian Academy 2006.Pdf (5.402Mb)
The Russian Academy of Sciences, 2006 Update With an historical introduction by the President of the Academy Iuri S. Osipov From Yu.S. Osipov's book «Academy of Sciences in the History of the Russian State» Moscow, «NAUKA», 1999 The creation of the Academy of Sciences is directly connected with Peter the Great’s reformer activities aimed at strengthening the state, its economic and political independence. Peter the Great understood the importance of scientific thought, education and culture for the prosperity of the country. And he started acting “from above”. Under his project, the Academy was substantially different from all related foreign organizations. It was a state institution; while on a payroll, its members had to provide for the scientific and technical services of thee state. The Academy combined the functions of scientific research and training, having its own university and a high school. On December 27, 1725, the Academy celebrated its creation with a large public meeting. This was a solemn act of appearance of a new attribute of Russian state life. Academic Conference has become a body of collective discussion and estimation of research results. The scientists were not tied up by any dominating dogma, were free in their scientific research, and took an active part in the scientific opposition between the Cartesians and Newtonians. Possibilities to publish scientific works were practically unlimited. Physician Lavrentii Blumentrost was appointed first President of the Academy. Taking care of bringing the Academy’s activities to the world level, Peter the Great invited leading foreign scientists. Among the first were mathematicians Nikolas and Daniil Bornoulli, Christian Goldbach, physicist Georg Bulfinger, astronomer and geographer J.Delille, historian G.F.Miller.
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