Thinking about Matter

John Hedley Brooke, University of Oxford, UK

• Contents: Chemists in their contexts: some recent trends in historiography; A sower went forth: Joseph Priestley and the ministry of reform; Davy’s chemical outlook: the acid test; The superiority of nature’s art? Vitalism, natural theology and the rise of organic chemistry; Wöhler’s urea and its vital force?-a verdict from the chemists; Berzelius, the dualistic hypothesis, and the rise of organic chemistry; Laurent, Gerhardt, and the philosophy of chemistry; Organic synthesis and the unification of chemistry-a reappraisal; Avogadro’s hypothesis and its fate: a case-study in the failure of case-studies; Doing down the Frenchies: how much credit should Kekulé have given?; Index.

'How often do we lament the fact that the book-and-tenure system (at least in the States) drives us to write unnecessarily long books instead of turning out short, yet insightful and significant articles? The Variorum Collected Studies Series provides us with an important outlet for the landmark articles of some well-known historians of science while presenting, at the same time, an overview of their works over time. This volume makes an excellent addition to the series.' Ambix 'Brooke writes with wit and precision. His arguments are powerful, and the essays in this volume, individually important, gain added force by being presented together...A useful contribution to the history and philosophy of chemistry.’ Annals of Science 'Brooke exhibits his wide-ranging scholarship and influence on contemporary historiography...' Choice