The Centre François Viète d'Epistémologie et d'Histoire des Sciences et des Techniques (EA 1161) was created at the University of Nantes in 1994. Its interdisciplinary vocation is based on researchers working on the epistemology and history of mathematics, earth and universe sciences, physical and chemical sciences, life sciences and medicine, as well as technology.
The CFV now covers an inter-regional geographical area. Its members belong to the Universities of Nantes, Angers, Le Mans, Caen and Brest. A branch of the CFV was officially inaugurated at the University of Western Brittany on 1 January 2012. The CFV now has two sites: University of Nantes, main site, and University of Western Brittany, secondary site.
Research is organised around three axes:
Axis 1: Concepts and theories
Axis 2: Traces and materialities of knowledge
Axis 3: Artifacts and systems