ISSN:
1572-8587
Keywords:
Daltonian stoichiometry
;
Faraday's laws
;
statistical mechanics
;
Avogadro's number
;
Lorentz-Thomson-systems
;
cathode rays
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Philosophy
,
Nature of Science, Research, Systems of Higher Education, Museum Science
Notes:
Summary The following investigation illustrates, by concrete historical examples, some of the basic results, outlined in earlier papers on theory evolution and reference dynamics in science (cf. Balzer, W.et al.: 1989, ‘A Static Theory of Reference in Science’,Synthese 79, 319–360; Lauth, B.: 1989, ‘Reference Problems in Stoichiometry’,Erkenntnis 30, 339–362; Lauth, B.: 1990, ‘Theory Evolution and Reference Kinematics’,Synthese 88, 279–307). All theories considered in this paper are represented within a metatheoretical frame that has become known as the structuralist view in the philosophy of science. The paper focusses on some physical constants, namely the mass and charge of electrons, henceforth denoted by m0 and e0, of Boltzman's constant k, Faraday's constant F and Avogadro's Number NA, and the evolution of their ‘reference spectra’ from the beginning of the 19th century until the early days of quantum physics.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00769515
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