The Establishment and Early Development of the Alexandre-Koyré Center during the Institutionalization of the History of Science and Technology in France

At the beginning of the 20th century, in order to break away from the research paradigm of political and military history, an “historical revolution” was launched in France to expand the research objects of history and increase interdisciplinary research methods. Based around the platform built by historian Henri Berr, scholars actively expanded the research scope of history to science and technology. Thus, the discipline of the history of science and technology in France began the process of institutionalization. In this process, Alexander Koyré, a famous historian of scientific thought, established a research center for the history of science and technology under Section VI of the EPHE, which was run by the Annales School. After Koyré's death, the center became one of the important institutions for the study of the history of science in France under the leadership of René Taton.