Charles Bonnet

by Krissi Taylor

Introduction

I picked Charles Bonnet because he came from Switzerland. I love anything that is from Switzerland. He really impressed me because he was able to do many things that are very challenging. Charles was blind and deaf. He was able to do many things.

About Charles Bonnet

Charles Bonnet, the Swiss Naturalist, was elected to the Royal Society in 1743. He was born in 1720 and died in 1793. He lived for 73 years. He became deaf at the age of seven was blind since youth. His parents took him out of school and had a private tutor at home. That is when Charles started to became interested in natural science through reading at home.

Rene Reaumur was Charles role model. Rene influenced Charles in many ways. In 1734, Rene wrote a book that Charles was eager to read. The book was called Histoire des insectes. Charles asked the naturalist to suggest a topic for him to inve stigate. Charles investigated a female spindle-tree aphid. He found the concept of reproduction without fertilization. He published the book Traite d'insectolgie in 1745. He earned recognition as a first experimental entomologist.

Charles interest in teaching deaf children was limited to his philosophical writings. For example: he talked about the use of French sign in Essai analytque surÏles facules de l'ame, and in his essay on language and rational thought in Es sai de psychologie and Contemplation. He was a person who started the study of photosynthesis. Charles brought up an idea to Lazzaro Spallanzani about the artificial insemination of a dog.