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I am an honorary research fellow in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Auckland, and have completed a PhD in theoretical chemistry (Nijmegen, 1993) and Philosophy (Groningen, 2012). My philosophical interests lie mainly in the Philosophy of Chemistry and general Philosophy of Science. One of the principles guiding my approach to philosophy is that actual scientific disciplines are generally the best guides to the development of their philosophy. As a result, my work straddles the boundary between actual science and philosophy of science; working with current theories in a relatively advanced form, but at the same time aiming for philosophical robustness. The key principle is that the care with which scientific theories are generally formulated needs to be equally applied in the philosophical analyses of these theories if the results are to hold up over time. My current research projects include the completion of a book about the Tractarian view of theories, exploring how the Tractarian view on the one hand derives from developments in nineteenth century mechanics, and how it has influenced the thinking of the early Vienna Circle on theoretical terms and operationalism. The title of this work is 'Wittgenstein on Natural Science'. I do not get paid anything to do the research that I do and intend to keep things that way. I work as an IT solutions architect, focusing on infrastructure security. I consider myself primarily an independent scholar ('indie').

10 items found. Sort by: publication yearfirst authorviewingsaddition date Hinne Hettema (forthcoming). Austere Quantum Mechanics as a Reductive Basis for Chemistry. Foundations of Chemistry:1-16. This paper analyses Richard Bader’s ‘operational’ view of quantum mechanics and the role it plays in the the explanation of chemistry. I argue that QTAIM can partially be reconstructed as an ‘austere’ form of quantum mechanics, which is in turn committed to an eliminative concept of reduction that stems from Kemeny and Oppenheim. As a reductive theory in this sense, the theory fails. I conclude that QTAIM has both a regulatory and constructive function in the theories of chemistry. Philosophy of Physical Science Direct download (4 more)     My bibliography     Export citation   Hinne Hettema (2012). Reducing Chemistry to Physics: Limits, Models, Consequences. Createspace. 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. (shrink) Chemical Explanation in Philosophy of Physical Science Chemistry in Natural Sciences Interlevel Relations in Chemistry in Philosophy of Physical Science Realism in Chemistry in Philosophy of Physical Science The Periodic Table in Philosophy of Physical Science Direct download (2 more)     My bibliography     Export citation   Hinne Hettema (2009). Explanation and Theory Formation in Quantum Chemistry. Foundations of Chemistry 11 (3):145-174. In this paper I expand Eric Scerri’s notion of Popper’s naturalised approach to reduction in chemistry and investigate what its consequences might be. I will argue that Popper’s naturalised approach to reduction has a number of interesting consequences when applied to the reduction of chemistry to physics. One of them is that it prompts us to look at a ‘bootstrap’ approach to quantum chemistry, which is based on specific quantum theoretical theorems and practical considerations that turn quantum ‘theory’ into quantum (...) ‘chemistry’ proper. This approach allows us to investigate some of the principles that drive theory formation in quantum chemistry. These ‘enabling theorems’ place certain limits on the explanatory latitude enjoyed by quantum chemists, and form a first step into establishing the relationship between chemistry and physics in more detail. (shrink) Chemical Explanation in Philosophy of Physical Science Interlevel Relations in Chemistry in Philosophy of Physical Science Quantum Chemistry in Philosophy of Physical Science Direct download (4 more)     My bibliography     Export citation   Hinne Hettema (2008). A Note on Michael Weisberg's: Challenges to the Structural Conception of Chemical Bonding. Foundations of Chemistry 10 (2):135-142. Michael Weisberg’s recent 2007 paper on the chemical bond makes the claim that the chemical notion of the covalent bond is in trouble. This note casts doubts on that claim. Bonding in Philosophy of Physical Science Philosophy of Physical Science, Misc in Philosophy of Physical Science Direct download (4 more)     My bibliography     Export citation   Hinne Hettema (2008). Is Quantum Chemistry a Degenerating Research Programme? Logic and Philosophy of Science 6 (1):3-23. This note is intended to address one particular issue in the relative status of Quantum Chemistry in comparison to both Chemistry and Physics. It has been suggested, in the context of the question of the reduction relations between Chemistry and Physics that Quantum Chemistry as a research programme is incapable of furnishing useful guidance to practising chemists. If true, this claim will let us qualify Quantum Chemistry as a degenerating research programme, which, due to its complexity has difficulty to be (...) applied to Chemistry. This claim is shown to be false. The replacement claim I wish to make is that Quantum Chemistry is perfectly capable of furnishing such guidance, but renders the ontological status of many models favored by chemists problematic. Quantum Chemistry, however, validates these models in an instrumental fashion. I will argue that Quantum Chemistry is a progressive research programme. (shrink) Quantum Chemistry in Philosophy of Physical Science Research Programs in General Philosophy of Science Direct download (2 more)     My bibliography     Export citation   Hinne Hettema (2000). Quantum Chemistry: Classical Scientific Papers. World Scientific. J. Quantum Chemistry, 2000"It will have a lasting value for theoretical chemists and science historians".Structural Chemistry, 2000" is a finely produced, ... Quantum Chemistry in Philosophy of Physical Science $123.13 used   $125.87 new   $129.20 direct from Amazon   Amazon page Direct download     My bibliography     Export citation   H. Hettema (1995). Bohr's Theory of the Atom 1913-1923: A Case Study in the Progress of Scientific Research Programmes. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B 26 (3):307-323. Science, Logic, and Mathematics Direct download (3 more)     My bibliography     Export citation   Hinne Hettema & Theo A. F. Kuipers (1995). Sommerfeld's Atombau: A Case of Potential Truth Approximation. In Cognitive Patterns in Science and Common Sense: Groningen Studies in Philosophy of Science, Logic and Epistemology. No categories   My bibliography     Export citation   Hinne Hettema (1988). Mendeleev's Periodic Table: Some Remarks on its Reduction. In Proceedings of the 13 Th International Wittgenstein Symposium. Hpt. Periodic Table in Philosophy of Physical Science   My bibliography     Export citation   Hinne Hettema & Theo A. F. Kuipers (1988). The Periodic Table — its Formalization, Status, and Relation to Atomic Theory. Erkenntnis 28 (3):387-408. Periodic Table in Philosophy of Physical Science Direct download (2 more)     My bibliography     Export citation

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