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Chemistry and Philosophy of Science
At the centre of all things resides the Sun. Could we find a better
place in this most beautiful of all temples, from whence this
light illuminates all things at once? Rightly is it called the lamp,
the spirit, the ruler of the universe. For Hermes Trismegistus it
is the invisible god, Sophocles’ Electra calls it the all-seeing.
Thus, the Sun sits on its royal throne and guides its children,
which circle it.
Nicolaus Copernicus
Abstract
This chapter deals with the basic concepts of philosophy of science, and
investigates the position of chemistry within this discipline starting from the time
of Vienna Circle till the formal establishment of the philosophy of chemistry.
The problem of the unity of science in relation to the appearance of particular
scientific disciplines is discussed in the frame of the theory of complexity based
on the idea that complexity is a hierarchy of structures from sub-atomic to
biological. Besides the classification of sciences based on the fields of scientific
interest, the alternative classification that follows from the complexity levels of
matter is represented. Complexity levels are defined in the relation to the
interaction energy between the particles of the lower level in the formation of the
higher-level aggregates. The discussion about emergence, reductionism and
holism is especially focused on the old problem of the reduction of chemistry to
physics.
Keywords
Philosophy of science Á Unity of science Á Autonomy of scientific disciplines Á
Ontology Á Emergence Á Reductionism Á Holism Á Theory of complexity Á
Levels of complexity Á Induction-deduction Á Falsificationism
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
H. Vančik, Philosophy of Chemistry, Integrated Science 2,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69224-7_1
1
Chemistry and Philosophy of Science
At the centre of all things resides the Sun. Could we find a better
place in this most beautiful of all temples, from whence this
light illuminates all things at once? Rightly is it called the lamp,
the spirit, the ruler of the universe. For Hermes Trismegistus it
is the invisible god, Sophocles’ Electra calls it the all-seeing.
Thus, the Sun sits on its royal throne and guides its children,
which circle it.
Nicolaus Copernicus
Abstract
This chapter deals with the basic concepts of philosophy of science, and
investigates the position of chemistry within this discipline starting from the time
of Vienna Circle till the formal establishment of the philosophy of chemistry.
The problem of the unity of science in relation to the appearance of particular
scientific disciplines is discussed in the frame of the theory of complexity based
on the idea that complexity is a hierarchy of structures from sub-atomic to
biological. Besides the classification of sciences based on the fields of scientific
interest, the alternative classification that follows from the complexity levels of
matter is represented. Complexity levels are defined in the relation to the
interaction energy between the particles of the lower level in the formation of the
higher-level aggregates. The discussion about emergence, reductionism and
holism is especially focused on the old problem of the reduction of chemistry to
physics.
Keywords
Philosophy of science Á Unity of science Á Autonomy of scientific disciplines Á
Ontology Á Emergence Á Reductionism Á Holism Á Theory of complexity Á
Levels of complexity Á Induction-deduction Á Falsificationism
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
H. Vančik, Philosophy of Chemistry, Integrated Science 2,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69224-7_1
1