Nautical and nautical cartography at the origin of modern science

Abstract

This article describes the nautical practices and the nautical cartography practiced in XV and XVI centuries, in the great Portuguese discoveries epoch. The aim of this article is to show that those nautical practices and nautical cartography were the start of scientific activities and stablished the Modern Science in the XVII century. In addition, the article shows Pedro Nunes´ methods to identify the nautical and nautical cartography problems, pointing his main ideas to evidence that his scientific procedures anticipated the scientific methodology practiced in the problems solving in earlier XVII century. Furthermore, it shows the scientific cartography evolution since portulanos until carta de marear in order to give tools and technology to support the Portuguese nautical enterprises which resulted in great discoveries.