This collection considers relations between the humanities and the sciences in Latin America, an issue that has not previously been addressed systematically. The geographical emphasis is important, not only because of the prominent role of the sciences during the stages of consolidation of nation-states but also because of the strong presence of the sciences in the cultural output of the region since. The different chapters deal with questions of consent, resistance and ideology, allowing us to identify what was believed, or expected to be believed, at a given point in time. They help to reveal the connection between individual understanding and the surrounding world of science within the broader question: the place of scientific thought in the imagery of Latin American culture.