Илизаров Симон Семенович

This essay is devoted to G. F. Müller - distinguished Russian scientist, enlightenment intellectual, traveler, journalist, member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, and honorary member of academies and scientific societies in Russia, England, Germany, Netherlands, France, and Sweden. The 300 th anniversary of his birth took place in 2005. This article considers not only the general character of Müller’s scientific work, but his role in the development of the history of science. It begins with the early period of his life in Germany and surveys his upbringing, surrounding milieu, training, and teachers. Müller arrived at the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences in 1725 and within a few years advanced several major projects, paying special attention to the history of science. This essay examines aspects of Müller’s historical work in detail, such as the history of scientific periodicals and encyclopedias, and his fundamental work on the history of the Academy of Sciences.