{"title":"An interactive approach to the notion of chemical substance and the case of water","authors":"Marabel Riesmeier","doi":"10.1007/s10698-024-09504-2","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>From organic synthesis to quantum chemical calculation, chemists interact with chemical substances in a wide variety of ways. But what even is a chemical substance? My aim is to propose a notion of chemical substance that is consistent with the way in which chemical substances are individuated in chemistry, addressing gaps in previous conceptions of chemical substance. Water is employed as a case study to develop the account, not only because it is a familiar example of a chemical substance, but also because its structural peculiarities make it an ideal test case for drawing out potential issues and limitations. Examining four distinct views of chemical substance—the microstructural, thermodynamic, purification, and a functional/relational account—I conclude that each has considerable drawbacks when used as a standalone concept. However, these accounts are not rendered obsolete, but are combined into a semi-pluralist conceptual patchwork. My interactive account of chemical substance is consistent with existing substance descriptions and chemical practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":568,"journal":{"name":"Foundations of Chemistry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.8000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Foundations of Chemistry","FirstCategoryId":"92","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10698-024-09504-2","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"HISTORY & PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
From organic synthesis to quantum chemical calculation, chemists interact with chemical substances in a wide variety of ways. But what even is a chemical substance? My aim is to propose a notion of chemical substance that is consistent with the way in which chemical substances are individuated in chemistry, addressing gaps in previous conceptions of chemical substance. Water is employed as a case study to develop the account, not only because it is a familiar example of a chemical substance, but also because its structural peculiarities make it an ideal test case for drawing out potential issues and limitations. Examining four distinct views of chemical substance—the microstructural, thermodynamic, purification, and a functional/relational account—I conclude that each has considerable drawbacks when used as a standalone concept. However, these accounts are not rendered obsolete, but are combined into a semi-pluralist conceptual patchwork. My interactive account of chemical substance is consistent with existing substance descriptions and chemical practice.
期刊介绍：
Foundations of Chemistry is an international journal which seeks to provide an interdisciplinary forum where chemists, biochemists, philosophers, historians, educators and sociologists with an interest in foundational issues can discuss conceptual and fundamental issues which relate to the `central science'' of chemistry. Such issues include the autonomous role of chemistry between physics and biology and the question of the reduction of chemistry to quantum mechanics. The journal will publish peer-reviewed academic articles on a wide range of subdisciplines, among others: chemical models, chemical language, metaphors, and theoretical terms; chemical evolution and artificial self-replication; industrial application, environmental concern, and the social and ethical aspects of chemistry''s professionalism; the nature of modeling and the role of instrumentation in chemistry; institutional studies and the nature of explanation in the chemical sciences; theoretical chemistry, molecular structure and chaos; the issue of realism; molecular biology, bio-inorganic chemistry; historical studies on ancient chemistry, medieval chemistry and alchemy; philosophical and historical articles; and material of a didactic nature relating to all topics in the chemical sciences. Foundations of Chemistry plans to feature special issues devoted to particular themes, and will contain book reviews and discussion notes. Audience: chemists, biochemists, philosophers, historians, chemical educators, sociologists, and other scientists with an interest in the foundational issues of science.
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