Structure, essence and existence in chemistry

被引：2
作者：
Hendry, Robin Findlay [1 ,2 ]
机构：
[1] Univ Durham, Dept Philosophy, Durham, England
[2] Univ Durham, Dept Philosophy, 50 Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HN, England
来源：
RATIO | 2023年 / 36卷 / 04期
关键词：
chemical substances; composition; essentialism; existence; natural kinds; structure; ESSENTIALISM; WATER;
D O I：
10.1111/rati.12387
中图分类号：
B [哲学、宗教];
学科分类号：
01 ; 0101 ;
摘要：
Philosophers have often debated the truth of microstructural essentialism about chemical substances: whether or not the structure of a chemical substance at the molecular scale is what makes it the substance it is. Oddly they have tended to pursue this debate without identifying what a structure is, and with some confusion and about what a chemical substance is. In this paper I draw on chemistry to rectify those omissions, providing a pluralist account of structure, clarifying what (according to chemistry) a chemical substance is and defending microstructural essentialism, as I understand that position. I then give an account of the existence of composite substances and objects in chemistry, an issue that goes back to Aristotle.
引用
收藏
页码：274 / 288
页数：15
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