Vol. 7 No. 1 (2023)
Historical Articles

Johann Beckmann (1739-1811) and Modern Chemical Technology

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Editorial History
  • Juergen Heinrich Maar
Juergen Heinrich Maar
Retired, Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
Bio
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/Substantia-1870

Published 2022-12-07

Keywords

  • Johann Beckmann,
  • history of chemical technology,
  • practical chemistry before Beckmann,
  • cameralism and chemia applicata,
  • sugar industry,
  • refutation of criticism of technology
    • ...More
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How to Cite

Maar, J. H. (2022). Johann Beckmann (1739-1811) and Modern Chemical Technology. Substantia, 7(1), 79–92. https://doi.org/10.36253/Substantia-1870

Copyright (c) 2023 Juergen Heinrich Maar

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

Modern chemical technology, in the humanistic spirit of the Enlightenment, begins with Johann Beckmann (1739-1811). It followed pre-modern technologies associated with Cameralism and Chemia Applicata. Beckmann’s holistic approach to technology, expressed in “Anleitung zur Technologie” (1777) and “Entwurf einer Allgemeinen Technologie” (1806), also engages with economic, social, cultural and ethical problems, giving the term ‘technology’ a new meaning. Viewed with skepticism in his time, there was a revival of Beckmann’s ideas by Franz Exner (1840-1913) in 1878. Only in recent decades his contribution to technology was more extensively studied. Examples of Beckmann’s ideas are presented.

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Editorial History

References

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