A Measurement-Theoretic View on the Early Evolution of the Ordering of Chemical Elements

• Published in: Acta Baltica historiae et philosophiae scientiarum Vol. 8; no. 1; pp. 5 - 32
• Main Author: Mets, Ave
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Department of Law, Tallinn University of Technology 20.05.2020; Tallinna Tehnikaülikooli õiguse instituut
• Subjects: 18th Century; 19th Century; Philosophy of Science; measurement theory; the periodic table of chemical elements; history of chemistry
• ISSN: 2228-2009; 2228-2017
• DOI: 10.11590/abhps.2020.1.01

Mets (2019) analyses the periodic system of chemical elements notably from the perspective of, inter alia, Patrick Suppes’ and Joseph Zinnes’ measurement theory (1962), taking for granted its applicability particularly to atomic weight and atomic number—the “primary” ordering principles. Here the applicability of the said theory to these aspects of the periodic table is critically scrutinised from its pre-evolution, or quantification of chemistry and inter-element relations at the end of the 18th century, to some stages of the evolution—briefly the contemporary one, and certain nineteenthcentury versions of the table. It is shown that measurement-theoretic terms, particularly scale types, are not applicable in this subject matter without complications. In addition, there emerges a development towards more substantial exactitude.