Brown Bag Lecture: William Goodwin, “Resolving a Controversy: The Nonclassical Ion Debate”
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Date:
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November 2, 2010
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Time:
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12:00 to 1:00 p.m.
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Location:
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CHF
315 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106 |
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Open to the Public |
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Fee:
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Free
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A talk by William Goodwin
The Nonclassical Ion Controversy lasted for over 20 years and engaged some of the most influential and well-respected physical organic chemists. The debate was brought to an end without its major participants ever reaching a consensus about its central issue.
This talk will investigate why the debate ended and assess the extent to which the scientific community was acting appropriately in ending it. The talk will also show the importance of local conceptions of significance in understanding the social epistemology of science.
William Goodwin is a philosopher with degrees in chemistry, mathematics and logic, and the methodology of science, all from the University of California at Berkeley. His research interests include the epistemology and methodology of complex, pragmatic sciences, such as organic chemistry and climatology. He regularly teaches a historically oriented introduction to the philosophy of science to science majors at Rowan University.
About Brown Bag Lectures
Brown Bag Lectures (BBLs) are a series of weekly, informal talks by CHF fellows and members of the academic and business communities on topics involving the history of chemistry, political and social issues of importance to chemists and chemical engineers, and issues affecting the future of chemical research.
For more information, please call 215.873.8289, or e-mail bbl@chemheritage.org.