A bibliographical study on the importance of pigments observed in colonial Brazil times in the light of the historical-dialectical materialism

Abstract

Scientific research supported by historical accounts enables us to engage in our society’s cultural and historical reality and build scientific knowledge. Scientific evolution has its complex dynamics, even in a country like Brazil, where the history of its scientific institutions is quite recent. Pero Vaz de Caminha’s observations in the letter where he describes the just-found continent are important for the history of our country and the development of modern science. To this end, the general objective is to analyse the chemistry teaching through the theme “pigment extraction in colonial Brazil” by compiling dissertations and theses to investigate the fundamentals of the history and philosophy of sciences relating to alchemy and the history of chemistry in Brazil, and to deepen the studies on the extraction methods. The methodology adopted was the systematic literature review in 19 studies, ten masters’ dissertations and nine doctoral theses, based on the state of the question, in the light of historical–dialectical materialism that enabled the perception and critical analysis of the insertion of the history of chemistry content. Through literature, this study analysed how the discussion of the history of chemistry and the history and philosophy of sciences is situated. In this movement, we understand the relationships between science and social totality by involving reports of historical moments, pigments and extraction methods, bringing science closer to real human life and its daily development.