Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Epilogue

Nature, Life and Human Beings: Considerations of an Experimental Chemist

  • Chapter
An Ordering Concept on the Basis of Alternative Principles in Chemistry

Part of the book series: Reactivity and Structure Concepts in Organic Chemistry ((REACTIVITY,volume 28))

  • 73 Accesses

Abstract

Due to the assignment of guilt by the media of a technical world arousing fears in man, chemistry is particularly burdened with the stain of alchemy, which in the public consciousness — overwhelmingly unfounded — in the mean occupation of quacks eager for profit and producing gold by deceit. Reference to this image leaves out totally the direct personal — even mental — relationship to matter and its transformation by the dedicated alchemist. Today the direct relationship between worker and matter is difficult to see. Certainly, this relationship is still present both in the work of a talented cabinet-maker and in the work of a creative artist both needing all their senses in order to make the correct choice of materials. We might assume this kind of devotion to matter as still being present with a modern biochemist, who strives for the infinite, sometimes artistic efforts in isolating enzymes as e.g. of photosynthesis [1] in a crystallized form and to opening up the way to numerous investigations. Therefore experimental chemistry is an applied art demanding unlimited devotion.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References and Notes

  1. Deisenhofer J, Huber R, Michel H: Nobelpreisträger für Chemie 1988; (1988) Chemie in unserer Zeit 22: A53

    Google Scholar 

  2. In the foundation of Nikolaus Cusanus in the monastery “Armenhospital zum Heiligen Nikolaus von Kues” in Kues on the banks of the Moselle is his large private library. There, 340 handwritten manuscripts from the 9th to the 15th century can still be seen.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Heimbach P, Kluth J, Schenkluhn H: KONTAKTE (Darmstadt) 1983 (1) 16

    Google Scholar 

  4. D’Espagnat B (1983) Auf der Suche nach dem Wirklichen. Aus der Sicht eines Physikers, Übersetzung A. Ehlers. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  5. B. Russell’s statement is cited in: Köstler A (1980) Wurzeln des Zufalls Suhrkamp taschenbuch 181, 3rd edn, p 101

    Google Scholar 

  6. The following situation is shown in [7] p 126, 127: Heisenberg: “Natur ist eben mathematisch einfach.” Frage: “Was heißt denn mathematisch einfach?” Heisenberg: “Das ist eben schön”.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Weizsäcker CF von (1974) Die Einheit der Natur. Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, Wissenschaftliche Reihe, München

    Google Scholar 

  8. Primas H (1982) Chemistry and Complementarity, Chimia 36: 239

    Google Scholar 

  9. Truesdell CA, see [I] in [8]

    Google Scholar 

  10. Primas H, Müller-Herold U (1984) Elementare Quantenchemie. Teubner Studienbücher Chemie, Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  11. Mittasch A cited in [12]

    Google Scholar 

  12. Timm B (1984) 8’h International Congress on Catalysis, Berlin, Proceedings, Vol 1, p 18

    Google Scholar 

  13. Primas H always points out that also in theoretical chemistry exclusive thinking about molecules must be overcome.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Hoffmann R (1988) “Die chemische Veröffentlichung — Entwicklung oder Erstarrung im Rituellen?”, Angew Chem 100: 1653

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Kuhn TS (1976) Die Struktur wissenschaftlicher Revolutionen, suhrkamp taschenbuch wissenschaft 25, 2nd edn. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt

    Google Scholar 

  16. Spaemann R (1987) Das Natürliche und das Vernünftige, Aufsätze zur Anthropologie. Serie Piper, München-Zürich

    Google Scholar 

  17. Elgozy G, cited according to [18]

    Google Scholar 

  18. Bateson G (1983) Geist und Natur. Eine notwendige Einheit, Suhrkamp, München. 2nd edn; ( 1980 ) Mind and Nature. A Necessary Unit. Bantam Books, Toronto New York London Sydney

    Google Scholar 

  19. Lec St J (1) (1981) Neue unfrisierte Gedanken, Carl Hauser, München, 10th edn. p 29; (2) (1986) Steckbriefe, Carl Hauser, p 1 I

    Google Scholar 

  20. Planck M, Vom Relativen zum Absoluten, Gesammelte Abhandlungen und Vorträge, Vol 3. Lecture 1. Dezember 1924

    Google Scholar 

  21. Koch MG, Spektrum Der Wissenschaft 1986: (10), 12

    Google Scholar 

  22. Crick FHC, “Gedanken über das Gehirn”, Spektrum der Wissenschaft 1979:147: Scientific American 241: 181 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Zollinger H (1988) Chemie — Teil eines Ganzen, SWISS BIOTECH 2: 13

    Google Scholar 

  24. Hansch C, Leo A (1979) Substituent constants for correlation analysis in chemistry and biology. John Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  25. Seydel JK, Schaper KJ (1979) Chemische Struktur und biologische Aktivität von Wirkstoffen. Verlag Chemie, Weinheim

    Google Scholar 

  26. With a fixed algorism (calculation procedure) characteristic values are formed dependent on the properties; unfortunately these quantities are often misleadingly called constants.

    Google Scholar 

  27. As the standard, triphenylphosphane with 3 phenyl groups is used which adopts 2 energy degenerate forms.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Albery WJ, Knowles JR (1977) Angew Chem 89:295; (1977) Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 16: 285

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Blumenfeld LA (1981) Biological Physics. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  30. Hayward JW (1986) Der Zauber der Alltagswelt, Ein tieferes Verständnis der Wirklichkeit durch Wissenschaft und Weisheit. Droemersche Verlagsanstalt Th. Knaur Nachf, München

    Google Scholar 

  31. Porzig W (1971) Das Wunder der Sprache. Francke, München Bern

    Google Scholar 

  32. Prigogine I, Stengers I (1981) Dialog mit der Natur, Neue Wege naturwissenschaftlichen Denkens. R Piper. München-Zürich

    Google Scholar 

  33. Haken H (1981) Erfolgsgeheimnisse der Natur, DVA, Stuttgart: ( 1984 ) The science of structure: Synergetics. Van Norstrand Reinhold. New York

    Google Scholar 

  34. Woodward RB, Hoffmann R (1972) Die Erhaltung der Orbitalsymmetrie. Verlag Chemie, Weinheim

    Google Scholar 

  35. Bertalanffy L v (1949) Zu einer allgemeinen Systemlehre, Biol Gen 19: 114

    Google Scholar 

  36. Riedl R (1985) Die Spaltung des Weltbildes. Piper, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  37. Enders D, Chem Tech 1981:504; Prof Dr W Winter, Grünenthal GmbH, gave us further information concerning the complexity of the Contergan (Thalidomide) problem:

    Google Scholar 

  38. Fabro S, Smith RL. Williams RT (1967) Nature 215:296

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Scott WJ, Fradkin R, Wilson JG (1977) Teratology 16: 333

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Paul Heimbach
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1990 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Heimbach, P. (1990). Epilogue. In: An Ordering Concept on the Basis of Alternative Principles in Chemistry. Reactivity and Structure Concepts in Organic Chemistry, vol 28. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-83806-4_13

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-83806-4_13

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-83808-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-83806-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation