• Editorial 17
    Foundations of Chemistry 6 (2): 135-136. 2004.
  •  5
    Editorial 23
    Foundations of Chemistry 8 (2): 93-95. 2006.
  •  158
    The Pauli Exclusion Principle and the reduction of chemistry have been the subject of considerable philosophical debate, The present article considers the view that the lack of derivability of the Exclusion Principle represents a problem for physics and denies the reduction of chemistry to quantum mechanics. The possible connections between the Exclusion Principle and the hidden variable debate are also briefly criticised.
  •  1
    Editorial 1
    Foundations of Chemistry 1 (1): 1-5. 1999.
  •  104
    Editorial 10
    Foundations of Chemistry 4 (1): 1-4. 2002.
  •  25
    Editorial 35
    Foundations of Chemistry 12 (2): 95-96. 2010.
  •  11
    Response to Needham
    International Studies in the Philosophy of Science 13 (2). 1999.
  •  21
    Editorial 4
    Foundations of Chemistry 2 (1): 1-4. 2000.
  •  12
    Editorial 14
    Foundations of Chemistry 5 (2): 107-111. 2003.
  •  22
    Philosophy of chemistry—a new interdisciplinary field?
    Journal of Chemical Education 77 522-526. 2000.
    Philosophy of Chemistry—A New Interdisciplinary Field? What could possibly be the connection between chemistry and philosophy, apart from the obvious superficial one of their both representing quests for knowledge? How do contemporary chemists and philosophers generally view one another? These are some of the questions I will try to put before going on to describe the connections that have recently been forged between these two seemingly very diverse fields of academic study.
  •  68
    Editorial 37
    Foundations of Chemistry 13 (1): 1-7. 2011.
  • Editorial 4
    Foundations of Chemistry 2 (1): 1-4. 2000.
  •  49
    This article consists of a critique of the writings of Peter Atkins. The topics discussed include the quantum mechanical explanation of the periodic system, the aufbau principle and the order of occupation of orbitals by electrons. It is also argued that Atkins fails to appreciate the philosophical significance of the more general version of the Pauli Exclusion Principle and that this omission has ramifications in the popular presentation of chemistry as well as chemical education and philosophy…Read more
  •  11
  •  8
    Editorial 40
    Foundations of Chemistry (Browse Results). forthcoming.
    Editorial 40 Content Type Journal Article Category Editorial Pages 1-2 DOI 10.1007/s10698-012-9148-y Authors Eric R. Scerri, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA Journal Foundations of Chemistry Online ISSN 1572-8463 Print ISSN 1386-4238
  • Editorial 5
    Foundations of Chemistry 2 (2): 95-98. 2000.
  •  10
    Editorial 27
    Foundations of Chemistry 9 (3): 219-220. 2007.
  •  23
    The main thrust of the paper involves a theoretical and philosophical analysis of the claim made in September 1999 that atomic orbitals have been directly imaged for the first time. After a brief account of the recent claims the paper reviews the development of the orbit and later orbital concepts and analyzes the theoretical status of atomic orbitals. The conclusion is that contrary to these claims, atomic orbitals have not in fact been observed. The non-referring nature of modern atomic orbita…Read more
  •  1
    Editorial 52
    Foundations of Chemistry 18 (1): 1-2. 2016.
  •  17
    Editorial 36
    Foundations of Chemistry 12 (3): 167-169. 2010.
  •  47
    The Ambiguity of Reduction
    Hyle 13 (2). 2007.
    I claim that the question of whether chemistry is reduced to quantum mechanics is more ambiguous and multi-faceted than generally supposed. For example, chemistry appears to be both reduced and not reduced at the same time depending on the perspective that one adopts. Similarly, I argue that some conceptual issues in quantum mechanics are ambiguous and can only be laid to rest by embracing paradox and ambiguity rather than regarding them as obstacles to be overcome. Recent work in the reduction …Read more
  •  9
    Editorial 3
    Foundations of Chemistry 1 (3): 221-223. 1999.
  •  10
    Editorial
    Foundations of Chemistry 1 (3): 221-223. 1999.
  •  236
    Reduction and emergence in chemistry—two recent approaches
    Philosophy of Science 74 (5): 920-931. 2007.
    Two articles on the reduction of chemistry are examined. The first, by McLaughlin (1992), claims that chemistry is reduced to physics and that there is no evidence for emergence or for downward causation between the chemical and the physical level. In a more recent article, Le Poidevin (2005) maintains that his combinatorial approach provides grounding for the ontological reduction of chemistry, which also circumvents some limitations in the physicalist program. †To contact the author, please wr…Read more
  •  9
    Editorial 7
    Foundations of Chemistry 3 (1): 1-5. 2001.
  •  1
    Editorial
    Foundations of Chemistry 3 (3): 197-199. 2001.
  •  25
    Correspondence and Reduction in Chemistry
    In S. French & H. Kamminga (eds.), Correspondence, Invariance and Heuristics, Kluwer Academic Publishers. pp. 45--64. 1993.
    The article discusses some of Heinz Post's views on correspondence and whether revolutions occur in science a la Kuhn. For example Post points out that the periodic table of the chemical elements has withstood any revolutions. Specific issues examined include the Paneth-Fajans controversy, the extent to which quantum mechanics provides an explanation for the periodic table and ab initio calculations in quantum chemistry.
  •  109
    Prediction and the periodic table
    Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 32 (3): 407-452. 2001.
    The debate about the relative epistemic weights carried in favour of a theory by predictions of new phenomena as opposed to accommodations of already known phenomena has a long history. We readdress the issue through a detailed re-examination of a particular historical case that has often been discussed in connection with it—that of Mendeleev and the prediction by his periodic law of the three ‘new’ elements, gallium, scandium and germanium. We find little support for the standard story that the…Read more