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Logic and play a central role in two dif- In the second part, Burbidge offers an
ferent parts of the reflection of thought exposition de texte of Hegel’s theory of
upon itself. ‘chemism’, placed in the third book of
In the first part of his book, Burbidge the Science of Logic between ‘mechanism’
offers an exposition de texte of Hegel’s and ‘teleology’. A mechanical object is
theory of ‘real measure’ in the Science of complete in itself and indifferent to
Logic. Hegel considered this chapter, whatever happens to it. Any movement
where he develops logical concepts con- or change comes from outside. In con-
cerning chemical and physical concepts, trast, a chemical object has a one-sided
as one of the most difficult topics. Be- existence; by its distinctive quality, it is
cause ‘measure’ unites the two categories oriented to another chemical object and
‘quality’ and ‘quantity’, it is a key aspect vice versa. Furthermore, both objects are
for determining qualitative and quantita- determined by a comprehensive concept
tive objects and, hence, the decisive cate- that they share and that differentiates
gory for natural sciences. The category them as being directly complementary to
‘measure’ corresponds to a process of each other – this Hegelian concept of
and between real things, viz. the process ‘chemism’ anticipates the logical struc-
of measuring. Therefore, the logic of ture of the acid-base-definition by
‘measure’ is at the same time the logic of Brønsted one hundred years later. If, in
measuring. Starting with the measure- such a way, a chemical object is deter-
ment of a length by a ruler, Hegel goes mined by its affinity, the chemical pro-
over to measuring velocity and then to cess can be understood as the realization
measuring specific weight. In order to of what the concept ‘chemical object’
determine a substance more precisely, contains. In the following parts of the
Hegel considers its chemical reactions. Science of Logic, Hegel argues that the
From these reactions, new measures can chemical process itself must be differen-
be gained that characterize a substance tiated to several types. Burbidge empha-
more intrinsically. Accordingly, he de- sizes that ‘chemism’ „involves a system-
velops further as categories in his logic of atic development that is logical on its
measuring: ‘distinct and fixed propor- own account“ and that „there is no need
tions of stoichiometric masses’, ‘elective to refer […] to actual chemical bodies or
affinity’, and ‘nodal line’. By doing that, to discrete historian persons“ (p. 105).
Hegel shows that chemistry is to be con- Therefore, ‘chemism’ could be applied
sidered a science, against Kant’s claim not only to chemical phenomena.
that chemistry would never be a science In the third part, Burbidge approaches
and would remain only a systematic craft Hegel’s philosophy of nature, especially
because it cannot be set out in mathe- of chemical phenomena. First, he pro-
matical terms. He also cites Richter’s in- vides a fairly literal translation of the
vestigations about the proportions of el- eleven paragraphs of the Encyclopaedia
ements involved when two salts in a so- devoted to chemistry, parallel to the
lution exchange their radicals. At this German original. (The courage to pre-
point, the question arises as to how logic sent the translation parallel to the origi-
refers to chemistry, especially in Hegel’s nal should be an example for other trans-
case since his lifetime coincided with the lators of Hegel’s texts.) Secondly, he
emergence of modern chemistry. Bur- provides notes on specific Hegelian
bidge argues (p. 61 ff.) that thought by terms, the difficulties of their translation,
itself can develop its categories. Accord- and on contemporary chemistry. Thirdly,
ing to him, Hegel’s choice of chemical he thoroughly expounds Hegel’s view,
concepts (such as elective affinity) for especially considering how the data from
the definition of logical categories of chemistry are being combined with his
measuring was only for reason of di- systematic principles.
dactic illustration, to make it easier to Finally, in the conclusion (p. 204)
grasp the structure of the category. Burbidge ties the various strands togeth-
Book Reviews 177