电负性是出现的新案例和还原论的新问题

IF 1.8 3区 化学 Q1 HISTORY & PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
Monte Cairns
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引用次数: 0

摘要

化学实体是否有可能还原为其物理基础,是本体论还原论者和涌现论者之间争论的问题。然而,相关辩论通常围绕所谓 "高层次 "化学实体(如分子)的可还原性展开。也许令人惊讶的是,即使是坚定地支持这些高层次化学实体的出现论者,似乎也接受 "最低层次 "化学实体--原子物种--可还原为其物理基础的观点。特别是,新兴论者积极发展和捍卫的化学元素微观结构观点似乎认为,核电荷的解释力证明了对原子种类的还原论是正确的。我在本文中的首要任务是证明,核电荷最终无法提供足以证明原子种类还原论的解释,除非我们放弃这样一种令人信服的直觉,即物质中元素的存在应能解释该物质的性质。通过元素成分解释物质性质的 "缺失部分 "是参与原子的电负性值。但是,电负性是一个非常不统一的概念,显然无法通过基本物理原理进行分析。通过评估电负性不确定的物理特性及其在化学实践中广泛而不可或缺的认识论用途,我认为电负性为认真考虑原子物种的出现提供了令人信服的理由。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。

Electronegativity as a new case for emergence and a new problem for reductionism

Electronegativity as a new case for emergence and a new problem for reductionism

The potential reducibility of chemical entities to their physical bases is a matter of dispute between ontological reductionists on one hand, and emergentists on the other. However, relevant debates typically revolve around the reducibility of so-called ‘higher-level’ chemical entities, such as molecules. Perhaps surprisingly, even committed proponents of emergence for these higher-level chemical entities appear to accept that the ‘lowest-level’ chemical entities—atomic species—are reducible to their physical bases. In particular, the microstructural view of chemical elements, actively developed and defended by emergentists, appears to hold that the explanatory power of nuclear charge justifies being reductionist about atomic species. My first task in this paper is to establish that nuclear charge cannot ultimately provide explanations sufficient to justify a reductionist approach to atomic species, unless we abandon the persuasive intuition that the presence of an element in a substance ought to explain the properties of that substance. The ‘missing piece’ for explaining the properties of substances by way of their elemental constituents is the electronegativity values of participant atoms. But electronegativity is a strikingly disunified concept that appears distinctly unamenable to analysis by way of fundamental physical principles. Through evaluating the uncertain physical identity of electronegativity, as well as its widespread and indispensable epistemic utility in chemical practice, I argue that electronegativity provides compelling grounds to seriously consider emergence for atomic species.

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来源期刊
Foundations of Chemistry
Foundations of Chemistry HISTORY & PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE-
自引率
22.20%
发文量
35
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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