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36Commentary on Allen & Kinght’s Response to the Löwdin ChallengeFoundations of Chemistry 8 (3): 285-292. 2006.This commentary provides a critical examination of a recent article by Allen and Knight in which the authors claim to provide the long-sought explanation for the Madelung, or n + ℓ, n rule for the order of orbital filling in many-electron atoms. It is concluded that the explanation is inadequate for several reasons
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60Popper's naturalized approach to the reduction of chemistryInternational Studies in the Philosophy of Science 12 (1). 1998.Sir Karl Popper is one of the few authors to have discussed the reduction of chemistry. His approach consists of what I term naturalistic reduction, which I suggest bears close similarities to the way in which scientists regard reduction. The present article aims to build on Popper's insights into the nature of reduction in science and more specifically to suggest an approach to characterizing a specific sense of the notion of approximate reduction in the context of chemistry. In the course of t…Read more
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65Has the periodic table been successfully axiomatized?Erkenntnis 47 (2): 229-243. 1997.Although the periodic system of elements is central to the study of chemistry and has been influential in the development of quantum theory and quantum mechanics, its study has been largely neglected in philosophy of science. The present article is a detailed criticism of one notable exception, an attempt by Hettema and Kuipers to axiomatize the periodic table and to discuss the reduction of chemistry in this context.
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10The Philosophy of Chemistry (edited book)Oxford University Press USA. 2016.The philosophy of chemistry has emerged in recent years as a new and autonomous field within the Anglo-American philosophical tradition. With the development of this new discipline, Eric Scerri and Grant Fisher's "Essays in the Philosophy of Chemistry" is a timely and definitive guide to all current thought in this field. This edited volume will serve to map out the distinctive features of the field and its connections to the philosophies of the natural sciences and general philosophy of science…Read more
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104Some Aspects of the Metaphysics of Chemistry and the Nature of the ElementsHyle 11 (2). 2005.There is now a considerable body of published work on the epistemology of modern chemistry, especially with regard to the nature of quantum chemistry. In addition, the question of the metaphysical underpinnings of chemistry has received a good deal of attention. The present article concentrates on metaphysical considerations including the question of whether elements and groups of elements are natural kinds. It is also argued that an appeal to the metaphysical nature of elements can help clarify…Read more
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14Editorial 46Foundations of Chemistry 16 (1): 1-2. 2014.This issue begins the sixteenth year of our publication. It consists of the second part of the special issue dedicated to the late Richard Bader and edited by Cherif Matta one of his former students. For an extensive editorial covering the contents of both parts of the special issue readers should consult issue 3 of volume 15.C. Matta, Special issue: Philosophical aspects and implications of the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM), Foundations of Chemistry, 15, 3, 245–251 (2013).I would…Read more
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24Prediction of the nature of hafnium from chemistry, Bohr's theory and quantum theoryAnnals of Science 51 (2): 137-150. 1994.The chemical nature of element 72, subsequently named hafnium, is generally regarded as a prediction from Bohr's theory of the periodic system and hence as a prediction from quantum theory. It is argued that both of these views and in particular the latter are mistaken. The claim in favour of Bohr's theory is weakened by his accommodation of independent chemical arguments and the claim in favour of quantum theory is untenable since the prediction is not strictly deductive
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6A Tale of Seven Scientists and a New Philosophy of ScienceOxford University Press USA. 2016.In his latest book, Eric Scerri presents a completely original account of the nature of scientific progress. It consists of a holistic and unified approach in which science is seen as a living and evolving single organism. Instead of scientific revolutions featuring exceptionally gifted individuals, Scerri argues that the "little people" contribute as much as the "heroes" of science. To do this he examines seven case studies of virtually unknown chemists and physicists in the early 20th century …Read more
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135On the formalization of the periodic tablePoznan Studies in the Philosophy of the Sciences and the Humanities 84 (1): 191-210. 2005.A critique is given of the attempt by Hettema and Kuipers to formalize the periodic table. In particular I dispute their notions of identifying a naïve periodic table with tables having a constant periodicity of eight elements and their views on the different conceptions of the atom by chemists and physicists. The views of Hettema and Kuipers on the reduction of the periodic system to atomic physics are also considered critically.
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157Explaining the periodic table, and the role of chemical triadsFoundations of Chemistry 12 (1): 69-83. 2010.Some recent work in mathematical chemistry is discussed. It is claimed that quantum mechanics does not provide a conclusive means of classifying certain elements like hydrogen and helium into their appropriate groups. An alternative approach using atomic number triads is proposed and the validity of this approach is defended in the light of some predictions made via an information theoretic approach that suggests a connection between nuclear structure and electronic structure of atoms.
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104The electronic configuration model, quantum mechanics and reductionBritish Journal for the Philosophy of Science 42 (3): 309-325. 1991.The historical development of the electronic configuration model is traced and the status of the model with respect to quantum mechanics is examined. The successes and problems raised by the model are explored, particularly in chemical ab initio calculations. The relevance of these issues to whether chemistry has been reduced to quantum mechanics is discussed, as are some general notions on reduction.
Eric Scerri
UCLA
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UCLADepartment of Chemistry and BiochemistryLecturer