Andrés Bello and the dissemination of astronomy: education and scientific rhetoric.

Abstract

This paper analyzes the astronomical texts written by Andres Bello between 1810 and 1848, from its educational nature to its rhetorical expression, suggesting that their main purpose was to show the advances in the field - in terms of knowledge pro-duction and also technology development- in order to improve the material and intellectual environment of the nation. It also stands that astronomy should be tought by activating creativity and imagination, which may be linked with Bello’s willing to avoid science and art develop apart from each other, keeping, in this case astronomy bonded with literature.