Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
analyzed, characterized or represented along the lines of the methodology of the
stuff (or phase) concept. On the other hand, classical definitions like “Chemistry is
the science of stuff and its changes”
43
still hold when applied to radicals, if the
emphasis is laid on the last word: what in fact is registered or detected during
chemical experiments are stuff
changes
. It has to be emphasized that radicals
are nevertheless intriguing chemical research objects. Secondly, most chemical
radicals are
unobservable
, a few others, like triphenylmethyl and its relatives are
more stable and therefore do exist as substantial free radicals. Unobservable
radicals are not as abstract as neutrinos or basic substances (atomic nuclei). Their
status depends much more on their lifetime and chemical stability. Thirdly, the
experimental situation can be considered as
productive
, that is it produces new
phenomena and new entities. Fourthly, the notion
preparation
which is an exper-
imental notion and obviously similar to
production
and
construction
to certain
respects offers another intriguing path of interpretation particularly when it
comes to chemistry. Considered as a set of operational steps followed by the
experimenters, preparation appears to be a correct description not only for radicals
but for any other chemical sample, as well. Following this, the radical research and
its history and philosophy can as well throw some light on our understanding of
general chemistry.
In addition to these more or less systematic aspects there of course are some
historical points to make: Firstly, it has to be pointed out that, inferred from the
described historical episode, not any anomaly and not any crisis lead to a revolution
or paradigm shift. Obviously, Gomberg
s work is situated in the middle of a
normal
phase of what might be characterized as
molecularistic organic chemistry
which
began in the nineteenth century, and which is still in place. The acceptance of free
radicals at best was something of a
local theoretical turnover
. Secondly, it is
nevertheless amazing, how (organic) chemistry adapted the news: Although the
first speculative period was already accepted as being over, Gomberg and his
followers in the research program managed to retrieve some pieces of the original
concept and filled this with new life. Obviously, the first radical concept by
Lavoisier was flexible enough to tolerate significant changes. Even the entirely
new electronic theory of valency (which was not addressed in detail here), brought
forward by Gilbert Lewis and the quantum chemists, was simply absorbed by this
extraordinarily vivid chemical concept.
'
Acknowledgements Parts of this study were presented at different international meetings on the
history and philosophy of chemistry in Coburg, Berlin, Philadelphia, and Uppsala over the last few
years. I gratefully acknowledge invitations to Berlin (Max-Planck-Institute for the History of
Science) and Philadelphia (Chemical Heritage Foundation) and all pertinent comments, particu-
larly those of Carsten Reinhardt (Philadelphia) and Ursula Klein (Berlin). Special thanks go to
Jaap van Brakel (Leuven) for his comments on an earlier version of the present text. I am very
grateful to Barney Craven (Coburg) for amending grammar and style of the manuscript.
43
Meyer and Rimbach (
1921
): “Die Chemie ist die Wissenschaft vom Stoffe und seinen
¨
nderungen.”
