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Article ID: CBB001210755

A Neglected Aspect of the Puzzle of Chemical Structure: How History Helps (2012)

Foundations of Chemistry
Volume: 14
Pages: 235--243

Publication Date: 2012
Edition Details: Part of a special issue on the intersection between philosophy and philosophy of chemistry.
Language: English

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Historical method Philosophy of science Chemistry Reductionism Physics Quantum chemistry Controversies and disputes

Intra-molecular connectivity (that is, chemical structure) does not emerge from computations based on fundamental quantum-mechanical principles. In order to compute molecular electronic energies (of C3H4 hydrocarbons, for instance) quantum chemists must insert intra-molecular connectivity by hand. Some take this as an indication that chemistry cannot be reduced to physics: others consider it as evidence that quantum chemistry needs new logical foundations. Such discussions are generally synchronic rather than diachronic---that is, they neglect `historical' aspects. However, systems of interest to chemists generally are metastable. In many cases chemical systems of a given elemental composition may exist in any one of several different metastable states depending on the history of the system. Molecular structure generally depends on contingent historical circumstances of synthesis and separation, rather than solely or mainly on relative energies of alternative stable states, those energies in turn determined by relationships among components. Chemical structure is usually `kinetically-determined' rather than `thermodynamically-determined.' For instance, cyclical hydrocarbon ring-systems (as in cyclopropene) are produced only in special circumstances. Adequate theoretical treatments must take account of the persistent effects of such contingent historical events whenever they are relevant---as they generally are in chemistry.

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Description This article is about the uses of the history of chemistry in the debate about reductionism.

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Article Ruthenberg, Klaus; Harré, Rom (2012) Philosophy of Chemistry as Intercultural Philosophy: Jaap van Brakel. Foundations of Chemistry (p. 193). unapi

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