{"title":"Some aspects of the metaphysics of chemistry and the nature of the elements","authors":"Eric R. Scerri","doi":"10.1142/9781848161382_0010","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"There is now a considerable body of published work on the episte- mology of modern chemistry, especially with regard to the nature of quantum chemistry. In addition, the question of the metaphysical underpinnings of chemistry has received a good deal of attention. The present article concen- trates on metaphysical considerations including the question of whether ele- ments and groups of elements are natural kinds. It is also argued that an appeal to the metaphysical nature of elements can help clarify the re-emerging con- troversies among chemists regarding the placement of the elements hydrogen and helium in the periodic system and the question of whether there exists a best form of the periodic table.","PeriodicalId":55039,"journal":{"name":"Hyle","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3000,"publicationDate":"2005-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"44","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Hyle","FirstCategoryId":"98","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1142/9781848161382_0010","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"Arts and Humanities","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 44
Abstract
There is now a considerable body of published work on the episte- mology of modern chemistry, especially with regard to the nature of quantum chemistry. In addition, the question of the metaphysical underpinnings of chemistry has received a good deal of attention. The present article concen- trates on metaphysical considerations including the question of whether ele- ments and groups of elements are natural kinds. It is also argued that an appeal to the metaphysical nature of elements can help clarify the re-emerging con- troversies among chemists regarding the placement of the elements hydrogen and helium in the periodic system and the question of whether there exists a best form of the periodic table.
期刊介绍:
HYLE is a double blind peer reviewed international journal dedicated to all philosophical aspects of chemistry. Articles deal with epistemological, methodological, foundational, and ontological problems of chemistry and its subfields; the peculiarities of chemistry and relations to technology, other scientific and non-scientific fields; aesthetical, ethical, and environmental matters in chemistry; as well as philosophically relevant facets of the history, sociology, linguistics, and education of chemistry.