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  • © 1981

Chemistry, Quantum Mechanics and Reductionism

Perspectives in Theoretical Chemistry

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Chemistry (LNC, volume 24)

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Table of contents (6 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages I-XII
  2. On the Structure of Scientific Theories

    • Hans Primas
    Pages 18-44
  3. Beyond Pioneer Quantum Mechanics

    • Hans Primas
    Pages 160-249
  4. A Framework for Theoretical Chemistry

    • Hans Primas
    Pages 250-307
  5. Reductionism, Holism and Complementarity

    • Hans Primas
    Pages 308-355
  6. Back Matter

    Pages 356-451

About this book

The purpose of this book is to provide a deeper insight into the modern theories of molecular matter. It incorporates the most important developments which have taken place during the last decades and reflects the modern trend to abstraction. At the present state of the art we have acquired a fairly good knowledge of "how to. compute" small molecules us­ ing the methods of quantum chemistry. Yet, in spite of many statements to the contrary and many superficial discussions, the theoretical basis of chemistry and biology is not safely in our hands. It is all but impossible to summarize the modern developments of the theory of matter in nontechnical language. But I hope that I can give some feeling for the problems, the intellectual excitements and the wor­ ries of some theoreticians. I know very well that such an enterprise is a dangerous adventure and that one says that a clever scientist should take care of his reputation by barricading himself behind the safe wall of his speciality. This volume is not meant to be a textbook; in many respects it has complementary goals. For good and bad reasons, most textbooks ignore the historical and philosophical aspects and go ahead on the basis of crude simplifications; many even lie like the devil and do not shrink from naive indoctrination. Some sections of this book can be read as commentaries on our standard texts, they are intended to stir the waters with controversy.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Laboratory for Physical Chemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zürich, Switzerland

    Hans Primas

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Chemistry, Quantum Mechanics and Reductionism

  • Book Subtitle: Perspectives in Theoretical Chemistry

  • Authors: Hans Primas

  • Series Title: Lecture Notes in Chemistry

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-11314-1

  • Publisher: Springer Berlin, Heidelberg

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

  • Copyright Information: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1981

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-662-11314-1Published: 11 November 2013

  • Series ISSN: 0342-4901

  • Series E-ISSN: 2192-6603

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XII, 455

  • Number of Illustrations: 1 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Physical Chemistry, Quantum Physics, Chemistry/Food Science, general

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 74.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access