Just to mention, there are also fields of sciences that have important public
interest such as normative sciences (law, ethics, aesthetics), historical sciences
(history, archaeology, bibliology), as well as special applied sciences, medicine,
technology, etc.
Now, let me discuss an alternative mode of classification of sciences, which origins
from the degree of complexity of natural objects. Since the term complexity is very
difficult or almost impossible to define unequivocally, its meaning will be clarified
successively in discussions later in this chapter. It could be argued that the complexity
of nature, say physical nature, can be classified in a sort of complexity levels [6–8]. Let
us imagine that the lowest complexity possesses elemental particles, the components
of atoms. In that case the higher complexity levels comprise molecules, molecular
aggregates, living cells, living beings following with eco-systems, and finally human
society. If every of these levels could be investigated by means of the specific conceptual system characteristic only for this level, then such conceptual system forms
authentic science (scientific discipline). For instance, biology is authentic science
because it has been developed theoretical and methodological systems that belong
only to biology, not to other sciences. Thus, chemistry could be structured on the same
way, and it should be treated as an authentic science. Though, this question on the
authenticity of chemistry remained open within the circle of philosophers of science
for the long period of history [9]. To summarize, this hierarchy of sciences, if it is
based on the levels of complexity, begins with physics, followed by chemistry, then
biology, geology, anthropology, etc.
The long-lasting historical dilemma about the authenticity of chemistry as a
scientific discipline [10] seems to be one of main reasons that philosophy of science
did not involve chemistry, except in few particular case studies. Absence of
chemistry in philosophy of science could also be explained by the historical
domination of two traditional philosophical standpoints. By first opinion, chemistry
is just a special case of physics, say, all the chemical concepts could be reduced to
physical concepts, laws, and theories. Such position is called reductionism: the
whole is nothing more but a sum of its components [9]. From the reductionistic
point of view, characteristics of a molecule must be explainable if all the properties
of the consisting atoms are known, or, the properties of living beings could be
predictable by knowing their chemical composition.
The opposite concept by which the property of the whole is more than a sum of
properties of the consisting components is called holism. For the instance, simple
observations demonstrate that water molecule possesses particular properties that are
not the properties of consisting atoms, hydrogen and oxygen. Consequently, properties of water cannot be predicted just by the knowledge about the nature of oxygen
and hydrogen. These new unpredictable properties of water emerge only until the
water molecule, i.e. the structure on the higher complexity level, is formed. These
new properties are named emergent properties [11, 12]. Holistic behaviours on a
particular complexity level characterized by emergent properties could be satisfactorily explained and described exclusively by conceptual systems, laws or theories
1 Chemistry and Philosophy of Science
3
interest such as normative sciences (law, ethics, aesthetics), historical sciences
(history, archaeology, bibliology), as well as special applied sciences, medicine,
technology, etc.
Now, let me discuss an alternative mode of classification of sciences, which origins
from the degree of complexity of natural objects. Since the term complexity is very
difficult or almost impossible to define unequivocally, its meaning will be clarified
successively in discussions later in this chapter. It could be argued that the complexity
of nature, say physical nature, can be classified in a sort of complexity levels [6–8]. Let
us imagine that the lowest complexity possesses elemental particles, the components
of atoms. In that case the higher complexity levels comprise molecules, molecular
aggregates, living cells, living beings following with eco-systems, and finally human
society. If every of these levels could be investigated by means of the specific conceptual system characteristic only for this level, then such conceptual system forms
authentic science (scientific discipline). For instance, biology is authentic science
because it has been developed theoretical and methodological systems that belong
only to biology, not to other sciences. Thus, chemistry could be structured on the same
way, and it should be treated as an authentic science. Though, this question on the
authenticity of chemistry remained open within the circle of philosophers of science
for the long period of history [9]. To summarize, this hierarchy of sciences, if it is
based on the levels of complexity, begins with physics, followed by chemistry, then
biology, geology, anthropology, etc.
The long-lasting historical dilemma about the authenticity of chemistry as a
scientific discipline [10] seems to be one of main reasons that philosophy of science
did not involve chemistry, except in few particular case studies. Absence of
chemistry in philosophy of science could also be explained by the historical
domination of two traditional philosophical standpoints. By first opinion, chemistry
is just a special case of physics, say, all the chemical concepts could be reduced to
physical concepts, laws, and theories. Such position is called reductionism: the
whole is nothing more but a sum of its components [9]. From the reductionistic
point of view, characteristics of a molecule must be explainable if all the properties
of the consisting atoms are known, or, the properties of living beings could be
predictable by knowing their chemical composition.
The opposite concept by which the property of the whole is more than a sum of
properties of the consisting components is called holism. For the instance, simple
observations demonstrate that water molecule possesses particular properties that are
not the properties of consisting atoms, hydrogen and oxygen. Consequently, properties of water cannot be predicted just by the knowledge about the nature of oxygen
and hydrogen. These new unpredictable properties of water emerge only until the
water molecule, i.e. the structure on the higher complexity level, is formed. These
new properties are named emergent properties [11, 12]. Holistic behaviours on a
particular complexity level characterized by emergent properties could be satisfactorily explained and described exclusively by conceptual systems, laws or theories
1 Chemistry and Philosophy of Science
3