The History of Folklore and the History of Science

We have to recognize a very important methodological problem that is involved in the study of the history of folklore. By turning to the history of the discipline as a subject of research we embark into a different discipline, namely history of science, and thus assume new responsibilities. As a matter of fact, at present the history of science is a recognized discipline with its departments, books and textbooks, journals and national and international conventions that provide the framework for scholarly exchange. At the University of Pennsylvania we have a department, History and Sociology of Science, devoted precisely to this subject matter.