Reducing Chemistry to Physics: Limits, Models, Consequences - Paperback

by Hinne Hettema (Author)

Chemistry and physics are two sciences that are hard to connect. Yet there is significant overlap in their aims, methods, and theoretical approaches. In this book, the reduction of chemistry to physics is defended from the viewpoint of a naturalised Nagelian reduction, which is based on a close reading of Nagel's original text. This naturalised notion of reduction is capable of characterising the inter-theory relationships between theories of chemistry and theories of physics. The reconsideration of reduction also leads to a new characterisation of chemical theories. This book is primarily aimed at philosophers of chemistry and chemists with an interest in philosophy, but is also of interest to the general philosopher of science.

Author Biography

Hinne Hettema is an honorary research fellow in the Department of Philosophy at The University of Auckland. His main research interest lies in the philosophy of chemistry and the philosophy of science. He studied theoretical chemistry and philosophy at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen and the Radboud university in Nijmegen.