Benjamin Franklin’s ideas about electricity: a commented translation of two letter to Peter Collinson in 1747

• Grant number: 14/08359-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2014
• End date: December 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - History - History of Science
• Principal Investigator: Breno Arsioli Moura
• Grantee: Thátyusce Bonfim Gomes
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In this project, we propose to make a commented translation of two letter written by Benjamin Franklin in 1747 and addressed to Peter Collinson. Franklin presented his first investigations about electrical phenomena, discussing initial ideas of his conception of one electric fluid. To make this translation, we will proceed a historiographical study, analyzing both primary and secondary sources related to Franklins works.