Dichiarazioni di metodo, evidenzialità e cortesia nelle "Osservazioni intorno alle vipere" di Francesco Redi

The paper proposes a pragma-philological reflection on the construction of the demonstrative prose of Francesco Redi’s "Osservazioni intorno alle vipere" (1664), a representative treatise of early experimental biology. Its epistemological importance can be seen in the author’s displayed methodological awareness, evident both in the several method statements about the concept of experimental procedures and in a copious series of statements definable as evidential. The syntactic, stylistic, and lexical construction of the statements concerning the scientist’s "modus operandi" is examined, highlighting their importance in revealing Redi’s epistemological awareness. Argumentative clearness also emerges more deeply and extensively in the frequent and reasoned mention of the varied information sources used as a basis for demonstrations (such as empirical observation, and ancient and modern science authors). A pragmatic-functional reinterpretation of the concept of evidentiality and of the most authoritative classification of the types of this linguistic category has allowed to classify these sources and to focus on the stylistic-rhetorical strategies of their discussion. Finally, it is shown how the essay’s critical strength is expressed through a careful balance between ironic-polemical tones and tactful-polite formulas toward the contested authors: professional politeness places the expression of disagreement within the exclusive scope of scientific discussion. Overall, the aim is to prove how even in Redi’s first scientifically-relevant work the harmonization of diverse pragmatic resources and functions is a tool for persuasive and communicative effectiveness.