English Abstracts of Selected Publications

Abstract: The paper analyzes the interrelated establishment of art criticism and Modern Art in the U.S.A. in  period from the 1930s to the 1960s. Picking out Clement Greenberg as the central figure, I describe how he first adopted European ideas of modernity and transformed it to his normative concept of 'pure art', particularly exemplified by his visions of color field painting. Though at first his approach did not fit at all the ideas of most abstract painters, Greenberg soon became most influential in establishing both modern American painting and art criticism. In conclusion I argue that, while the intercontinental transfer of ideas necessarily depended on concepts of art, it is far from clear what the descriptive concepts used by art critics refer to. The establishment of art criticism by way of establishing a normative talk of 'modernity' (as well as the recent talk of 'post-modernity') seems to be, by their own measure, a pre-modern process without much reflection on their own semantical foundation.
 
Keywords: History of Theory of Art, Color Field Painting, Modernity, Art Criticism.

Abstract: Due to the rapid development and ubiquitous impact of modern technology, many people feel that nature is in danger of becoming extinct. From the 13th century until today, philosophers and theologians have been seeking advice from Aristotle to define both nature and technology in a way that the former restricts the latter. In this paper, I reconsider three corresponding theses usually attributed to Aristotle. 1) Technology imitates nature, such that there is no place for authentic human creativity. 2) Technology in supplementing and completing nature fulfils but the inherent aims of nature. 3) There is an ontological hiatus between natural things and artifacts such that technology cannot reproduce or change natural things. I argue that 3) is inconsistent with 1) and 2) and that Aristotle’s writings support none of the three theses in general. Instead, his proper concept of technology places little restrictions on technological innovation. While the putative ontological hiatus has been most influential in the history of chemistry/alchemy, Aristotle himself rather holds a relative distinction that he levels out just in the realm of chemistry. Moreover, the case of genetic engineering shows that current problems are beyond the scope of Aristotelian theory. Rather than presenting solutions, I argue that claiming Aristotle’s authority to support criticism of modern technology does justice neither to Aristotle nor to the complexity of today’s problems.
 
Keywords: Consciousness of Time, Temporality, Ecology, Environmental Ethics.

Abstract: ("Consciousness of Time, Ecology, and Ethics")
The paper investigates the impact of global environmental issues on our consciousness of time and vice versa. In Part I, I first analyze in detail how various kinds of temporal structure, such as linear progress, circularity etc., are built and what makes us select one of them as being universal. Part II discusses types of confusion and distortion of our consciousness of time due to global environmental issues. Since our consciousness of time is fundamental to our way of perceiving and dealing with the environment, the topic has also an ethical dimension. In Part III, following Hans Jonas’ approach of ethics, I ask what kind of a consciousness of time is adequate for responsibly treating our environment.

Keywords: Aritotle, Nature, Technology.

Abstract: Chemistry is by far the most productive science concerning the number of publications. A closer look at chemical papers reveals that most papers deal with new substances. The rapid growth of chemical knowledge seriously challenges all institutions and individuals concerned with chemistry. Chemistry documentation following the principle of completeness is required to schematize chemical information, which in turn induces a schematization of chemical research. Chemistry education is forced to seek reasonable principles of selectivity, although nobody can have an overview any more. Philosophical evaluation of the growth of chemical knowledge proves that at the same time chemical ‘nonknowledge’ increases more rapidly. An analysis of reasons, why chemists are making new substances at all, shows that the proliferation of new substances is for most part an end in itself. The present paper finally argues for the need of a rational discourse among chemists on the aims of chemistry.

Keywords: Growth of Knowledge, Chemistry Documentation, Chemistry Education, Aims of Chemistry.

Abstract: Given the rich diversity of research fields usually ascribed to chemistry in a broad sense, the present paper tries to dig our characteristic parts of chemistry that can be conceptually distinguished from interdisciplinary, applied, and specialized subfields of chemistry, and that may be called chemistry in a very narrow sense, or ‘the chemical core of chemistry’. Unlike historical, ontological, and ‘anti-reductive’ approaches, I use a conceptual approach together with some methodological implications that allow to develop step by step a kind of cognitive architecture for chemistry, which basically contains: (1) systematic chemical knowledge on the experimental level; (2) clarification of chemical species; (3) chemical classification systems; (4) theoretical foundation through the chemical theory of structural formulas. In a succeeding paper the results will be checked for resisting physicalistic reduction.

Keywords: chemical properties, logical structure of chemical knowledge, pure substances, chemical classification, theory of structural formulas.

Joachim Schummer: "Epistemology of Material Properties", in: Proceedings of the 20th World Congress of Philosophy, Boston/MA, USA, August 10-16, 1998 (to be published 1999).

Abstract: The paper presents an epistemological approach to the investigation of material properties that is opposed both to phenomenalistic epistemology and recent linguistical and ontological accounts of matter/mass terms. Emphasis is laid on the inherent context dependence of material properties. It is shown that, if this is taken seriously, some deep epistemological problems arise, like unavoidable uncertainty, incompleteness, inductivity, nonderivableness. It is further argued that some widely held epistemological accounts, namely that of essentialism, constructivism, and pragmatism, all reveal some serious defects if related to the recognition of materials. In order to responsibly manage our material environment, a more realistic estimation of our epistemic abilities and prospects is suggested.

Keywords: Epistemology, Material Properties, Context Dependence, Experiment, Chemistry.

Joachim Schummer: "Physical Chemistry: Neither Fish nor Fowl?", in: P. Janich, N. Psarros (eds.), The Autonomy of Chemistry. Königshausen & Neumann, Würzburg 1998, pp. 135-148.

Abstract: It is the aim of this paper to clarify the role of physical chemistry establishing various relations between physics and chemistry. (1) According to a systematics of material investigation, physical chemistry has a research field of its own that lies in between physics and chemistry, both taken in a narrow sense. (2) In so far as chemistry in a broader sense is concerned with material differences, physical chemists treat chemical problems by applying physical concepts, methods and instruments. (3) While eliminative discipline reduction can be rejected for several reasons, there are some non-eliminative reductive approaches within physical chemistry, which are quite different from that of physics. (4) A closer look on theoretical reasoning reveals some further methodological characteristics of physical chemistry supporting the idea of an emerging discipline: (a) Physical chemists try to explain material diversity in quantitative terms. They use (b) a pragmatic pluralism of models, which are (c) rather subject to refinement and adaptation than to crucial tests. There is (d) an extensive use of semi-empirical approaches and (e) the emergence of new types of models from combining physical and chemical concepts and theories.

Keywords: Physical Chemistry, Chemistry and Physics, Interdisciplinary Relations, Methodology.

Joachim Schummer (Ed.): Glück und Ethik. Königshausen & Neumann, Würzburg 1998.

Abstract: The anthology provides a comprehensive survey of recent approaches in the field of philosophy of happines by outstanding scholars of German speaking philosophy. Contributors are: Günther Bien, Dieter Birnbacher, Maximilian Forschner, Malte Hossenfelder, Hans Krämer, Gregor Paul, Annemarie Pieper, Wilhelm Schmid, Joachim Schummer, and Martin Seel. Topics included are: the limits of philosophy of happiness (historical, intercultural, and systematical); philosophy of happiness as ars vivendi, and the methodology for philosophical counceling; philosophy of happiness as a pre-moral theory of goodness and good life; the relationships between happiness and morality with special regard to foundational problems of moral philosophy.

Keywords: Philosophy of Happines, Morality, Ethics.

Joachim Schummer: "Challenging Standard Distinctions between Science and Technology: The Case of Preparative Chemistry", HYLE. An International Journal for the Philosophy of Chemistry, 3 (1997), 81-94.

Abstract: Part I presents a quantitative-empirical outline of chemistry, esp. preparative chemistry, concerning its dominant role in today's science, its dynamics, and its methods and aims. Emphasis is laid on the poietical character of chemistry for which a methodological model is derived. Part II discusses standard distinction between science and technology, from Aristotle (whose theses are reconsidered in the light of modern sciences) to modern philosophy of technology. Against the background of results of Part I, it is argued that all these distinctions fail, because the underlying concepts of science are either out-dated, one-sided, or arbitrary. A deeper understanding of today's sciences requires, in particular, a philosopical investigation of chemistry.

Keywords: Chemistry, Science and Technology, Poietical Science, Aristotle.

Joachim Schummer: "Towards a Philosophy of Chemistry", Journal for General Philosophy of Science, 28 (1997), 307-336.

Abstract: The paper shows epistemological, methodological and ontological peculiarities of chemistry taken as a classificatory scinece of materials using experimental methods. Without succumbing to standard interpretations of physical science, chemical methods of experimental investigation, classification, reference, theorizing, prediction and production of new entities are developed one by one as first steps towards a philosophy of chemistry. Chemistry challenges traditional concepts of empirical object, empirical predicate, reference frame and theory, but also the distinction commonly drawn between natural science and technology. Due to its many peculiarities, I propose to treat chemistry philosophically as a special type of science, apart from other sciences.

Keywords: Chemistry, Epistemology, Experiment, Classification, Reference, Prediction, Technology, Matter, Material Properties.

Joachim Schummer: "Scientometric Studies on Chemistry II: Aims and Methods of Producing New Chemical Substances", Scientometrics, 39 (1997), 125-140..

Abstract: Chemistry, as today's most active science, has increased its substances exponentially during the past 200 years without saturation. To get more insight why and how chemists produce new substances, a content analysis of 300 communications to the 'Angewandte Chemie' of the years 1980, 1990, and 1995 is carried out regarding aims and methods of preparative research. In the most productive field of organic chemistry production mainly occurs to improve abilities for further production, while the less productive field of inorganic chemistry has more diverse aims. Methodological differences between organic and inorganic chemistry are discussed in detail as well as the relationship between pure and applied science.

Keywords: Chemistry, Scientometrics, Production of Substances, Preparative Aims and Methods, Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Pure and Applied Science.

Joachim Schummer: "Scientometric Studies on Chemistry I: The Exponential Growth of Chemical Substances, 1800-1995", Scientometrics, 39 (1997), 107-123.

Abstract: The number of chemical substances is considered as a cumulative measure of the cognitive growth of preparative chemistry. During the past 200 years there is approximately exponential growth without saturation. Separate analysis of organic and inorganic chemistry suggests at least a two-phase modell either. Detailed discussion of the results (considering also the growth of chemists, chemical papers, patents, and chemical elements) reveals that an external (socio-economical) explanation is insufficient. Instead, an internal (methodological) approach is suggested to explain the exponential growth as well as ballancing phenomena in war and post-war times.

Keywords: Chemistry, Scientometrics, Growth of Substances, Growth of Knowledge, Externalism vs. Internalism.

Joachim Schummer: Realismus und Chemie. Philosophische Untersuchungen der Wissenschaft von den Stoffen. Königshausen & Neumann, Würzburg 1996 (English title: Realism and Chemistry. Philosophical Investigations of the Science of Substances).

Abstract: Against the background of recent concepts of scientific entity realism and experimentalism, esp. those of Rom Harré, this book provides a non-physicalistic philosophical approach to chemistry. Chemistry is considered to be the fundamental science of substances looking for a theoretically supported classification that enables to predict and create new substances. The development and methodological refinement of this scientific approach is dealt with along the whole history of chemistry, from Aristotle to modern synthetic chemistry. Fundamental concepts, classificatory approaches, and theoretical reasoning of chemistry are shown to be inherently connected to experimental operations.

Joachim Schummer: "Die stoffliche Weltveränderung der Chemie: Philosophische Herausforderungen", in: C. Hubig, H. Poser (eds.), Cognitio humana - Dynamik des Wissens und der Werte, vol. 1, Leipzig, 1996, pp. 429-436.

Abstract: Chemistry is substantially changing our material world by currently producing a million new substances a year. Philosophers, who seem to be unaware of that hitherto, are challenged in ontological, epistemological and ethical respect. Against physicalistic ontology as well as essentialistic, constructivistic, and pragmatistic myths of epistemology it is argued for a more modest and sensible epistemology of substances that is in need for dealing with chemicals in a more responsible way. A proposal for risk assessment of chemicals is made.

Keywords: Chemistry, Substances, Ecology, Ethics, Risk

Nikos Psarros, Klaus Ruthenberg, Joachim Schummer (eds.): Philosophie der Chemie - Bestandsaufnahme und Ausblick. Königshausen & Neumann, Würzburg 1996.

Abstract: The German working group "Philosophy and Chemistry" (founded in 1993) has collected 9 articles that provide a comprehensive survey of what have been done in the past and what should be done in a future philosophy of chemistry. Since many authors find a notorious neglect of chemistry in the past, they try to explain this neglect from various aspects among which reductionism seems to be the most important.

Keywords: Chemistry, History of Philosophy of Science, Reductionism

Joachim Schummer: "Philosophie der Stoffe, Bestandsaufnahme und Ausblicke. Von der Philosophischen Entstofflichung der Welt zur ökologischen Relevanz einer Philosophie der Stoffe", in: N. Psarros, K. Ruthenberg, J. Schummer (eds.): Philosophie der Chemie - Bestandsaufnahme und Ausblick. Königshausen & Neumann, Würzburg 1996.

Abstract: The first part of this essay tells the story of an old struggle between philosophy of matter and philosophy of form in broad outline, from the presocratics to analytical philosophy, leading to a philosophical and metaphorical "dematerialization" of the world (ontology), knowlege (epistemology) and language (mass terms). The second part argues, against the background of ecological crisis, for the need of sophisticating both our ordinary and scientific concepts of materials, and it gives an outline of future philosophical contributions to these problems.

Keywords: Chemistry, Matter, Mass, Ecology

Joachim Schummer: "Zur Semiotik der chemischen Zeichensprache. Die Darstellung dynamischer Verhältnissse mit statischen Mitteln", in: P. Janich, N. Psarros (eds.), Die Sprache der Chemie, Königshausen & Neumann, Würzburg 1996, pp. 113-126.

Abstract: After giving a survey of recent literature on the language of chemistry attention is drawn to the semiotics of the chemical sign language. Against the background of Peirce's theory of signs, it is argued that structural formulas should be interpreted neither as symbols, nor as icons, let alone indices. Instead, the systemic character of structural formulas (in the sense of Peirce's super-icons) is pointed out enabling chemists to represent chemical changeabilities by static means. In conclusion the current misleading pictographic paradigm is shown to be at the expense of chemical information.

Keywords: Chemistry, Semiotics, Sign, Peirce

Abstract: Chemistry is a highly productive enterprise currently producing some 1 million new substances a year. Since many chemists have recently claimed for the beauty of their products (the most famous is the buckminster fullerene), it is time to take this claim seriously. Against the background of several aesthetical theories (idealistic aesthetics from Plato to Kant, psychological approaches of Gombrich and Arnheim, Godman's symbolic and Eco's semiotic approach) chemical products are analyzed after distinguishing three ontological categories: chemical substances, molecules, molecular models. It is argued that none of these theories can explain the putative beauty of chemical products. But Eco's approach is able to explain recent dynamics in supramolecular chemistry being motivated by chemical drawings.

Keywords: Chemistry, Aesthetics, Art, Symmetry, Eco

Joachim Schummer: "Zwischen Wissenschaftstheorie und Didaktik der Chemie. Die Genese von Stoffbegriffen", chimica didactica, 21 (1995), 85-110.

Abstract: In reviving the common roots of philosophy and didactics of science (19th century's propaedeutica) a theory of recognition and concept building in the material realm is provided. Clarification of the stepwise development of material concepts and knowledge, from ordinary experience to experimental science, aims at two different but related things: First, it helps to understand the logical structure of chemical knowledge; and secondly, it rules out barriers of understanding caused by misleading chemistry education.

Keywords: Chemistry, Didactics, Matter, Substances.

Joachim Schummer: "Die Rolle des Experiments in der Chemie", in: P. Janich (ed.), Philosophische Perspektiven der Chemie, Bibliographisches Institut, Mannheim, 1994, pp. 27-51.

Abstract: While experimentation has been nearly neglected by modern epistemology and philosophy of science until recently, it has always played a central and manifold role in chemistry. Experimentation is shown to be fundamental in concept building and concept refinement by specifying experimental contexts, and in various chemical approaches to substance classifications. Chemical experimentation links science to technology and allows an experimentalist interpretation of entity realism.

Keywords: Chemistry, Experimentation, Classification, Realism, Technology