A Tale of Seven Scientists and a New Philosophy of Science

Abstract

In this ambitious book, Eric Scerri, based on the work of several researchers linked to the development of the periodic table, tries to build a new philosophy of science. Most of these characters, identified by himself as "intermediaries", are from our present unknown and their contributions, some correct and others not. Through seven chapters, which represent approximately three quarters of the total content, Scerri relates the life, problems and contributions of seven "scientists", mostly chemists but also economists and engineers. The last chapter called "Bringing Things Together", which occupies the fourth part of the book responds to the subtitle of the same "a New Philosophy of Science", and addresses the thorny issue. Scerri tries to convince the reader, without providing enough proof of it, that the development of all science, not only chemistry, not only around the periodic table, is evolutionary and not totalitarian and sharply revolutionary. Before him, other authors from different positions had indicated practically the same. This means that we are not faced with a new philosophy of science but with a vibrant provocation about the development of it, which deserves to be read.