Single Idea 17404

[catalogued under 27. Natural Reality / F. Chemistry / 1. Chemistry]

Full Idea

Unlike in physics, chemical reasoning does not generally proceed unambiguously from general principles. It is a more inductive science in which large amounts of observational data must be carefully weighed.

Gist of Idea

Chemistry does not work from general principles, but by careful induction from large amounts of data

Source

Eric R. Scerri (The Periodic Table [2007], 05 'Mendel')

Book Reference

Scerri,Eric R.: 'The Periodic Table' [OUP 2007], p.142


A Reaction

This is why essentialist thinking was important for Mendeleev, because it kept his focus on the core facts beneath the messy and incomplete data.

Related Idea

Idea 17400 Mendeleev focused on abstract elements, not simple substances, so he got to their essence [Mendeleev, by Scerri]