Popper's naturalized approach to the reduction of chemistry

International Studies in the Philosophy of Science 12 (1):33 – 44 (1998)
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Abstract

Sir Karl Popper is one of the few authors to have discussed the reduction of chemistry. His approach consists of what I term naturalistic reduction, which I suggest bears close similarities to the way in which scientists regard reduction. The present article aims to build on Popper's insights into the nature of reduction in science and more specifically to suggest an approach to characterizing a specific sense of the notion of approximate reduction in the context of chemistry. In the course of the discussion, one of Popper's better known passages on the reduction of chemistry is analysed in some detail.

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Citations of this work

On the neglect of the philosophy of chemistry.J. van Brakel - 1999 - Foundations of Chemistry 1 (2):111-174.
Explanation and theory formation in quantum chemistry.Hinne Hettema - 2009 - Foundations of Chemistry 11 (3):145-174.
Reduction and abduction in chemistry‐a response to Scerri.Paul Needham - 1999 - International Studies in the Philosophy of Science 13 (2):169 – 184.
Response.Eric Scerri - 2000 - Foundations of Chemistry 2 (1):77-78.

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References found in this work

The Structure of Science.Ernest Nagel - 1961 - Les Etudes Philosophiques 17 (2):275-275.
On reduction.John Kemeny & Paul Oppenheim - 1956 - Philosophical Studies 7 (1-2):6 - 19.
The Open Universe.Karl R. Popper - 1983 - Philosophy of Science 50 (4):651-656.

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