Single Idea 17473

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

Full Idea

Most philosophers believe chemistry has not been reduced to physics nor is it likely to be.

Gist of Idea

It is unlikely that chemistry will ever be reduced to physics

Source

Weisberg/Needham/Hendry (Philosophy of Chemistry [2011], 6)

Book Reference

'Stanford Online Encyclopaedia of Philosophy', ed/tr. Stanford University [plato.stanford.edu], p.33


A Reaction

[Le Poidevin 2007 argues the opposite] That chemical features are actually metaphysically 'emergent' is a rare view, defended by Hendry. The general view is that the concepts are too different, and approximations render it hopeless.

Related Idea

Idea 17474 Quantum theory won't tell us which structure a set of atoms will form [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]