This paper explores the scholarly life and legacy of Jim Bennett (1947–2023), an eminent historian of science and a seminal figure in both the history of mathematics and scientific museology. Centering his inquiry on Renaissance “practical geometry,” Bennett advanced a novel interpretation of the epistemic status of mathematics at the dawn of the early modern period. He demonstrated that mathematics was by no means an isolated, purely theoretical discipline, but rather a practice deeply intertwined with instrumentation, artisanal techniques, professional trajectories, and broader socio-cultural contexts. Underscoring the pivotal role of mathematical instruments—ranging from astrolabes and globes to surveying devices—he posited that these material artifacts were as integral to the disciplinary formation and expansion of mathematics as conventional theoretical treatises. Furthermore, the present study elucidates how Bennett, through the deliberate synthesis of historical material culture, contemporaneous textual sources, and the career trajectories of mathematical practitioners, successfully transcended traditional disciplinary boundaries to articulate the highly dynamic nature of mathematical endeavor.
