Continuity and discontinuity in the History of Science: Reflections on the historical dimension of the debate

Abstract

The theoretical controversy opposing the continuist to the discontinuist perspective occupies a privileged place in debates related to the History of the Historiography of Science. Although considered a contemporary controversy, this is a long-standing dispute. Across history, different thinkers reflected on this subject, mobilizing analytical categories proper to their respective contexts, such as modern science. This article aims to analyze the historicity of this dispute, seeking to measure the historical dimension of some argumentative elements that integrate both traditions. To this end, the text dwells on the historical-conceptual approach, addressing some thinkers involved in the debate. The analysis shows that, despite having become more evident in the 20th century, such a dispute between the continuist and discontinuist traditions may be understood as an unfolding of a much older historical debate.