Abstract

Chemistry is a natural science which has immensely influenced both the development of technology and of civilization, transforming the world of our everyday life. It is therefore something of a paradox of modern philosophy that it took so long for it to perceive chemistry as an incredibly complex and interesting subject suitable for philosophical discourse. However, from the beginning of the 1990s this discourse has been developing in a most dynamic way creating a veritable melting pot in which various chemical concepts and actions are being blended with philosophical and cultural ideas. The authors of the 22 articles included in the presented volume have taken the opportunity to analyze various components of what may be termed the resulting alloy - the philosophy of chemistry. They discuss in detail the fundamental philosophical, methodological and semiotic aspects characteristic of the theory and laboratory practice of chemistry. They also reveal the alchemical roots of chemistry and its emergence as a modern theoretical and experimental scientific discipline. These issues are examined both from the point of view of professional chemists and from that of the philosophers of science.