Chemists and Chemistry in Nature and Society, 1770–1878

Explores the chemical "revolution" in 18th-century Europe and Britain and its influences on the 19th century. This volume recalls how Coleridge incorporated chemistry into a philosophy of nature; how Faraday extended Davy's work; and how even Hegel's philosophy of geology was based on chemistry.

In the 18th century chemistry established itself as both an autonomous and a public science, moving from mining and medicine into agriculture and geology, indeed into the entire material and cultural fabric of society. This chemical revolution had its epicentre in France, but quickly spread. The present volume looks at theoretical and practical aspects of that revolution in France and The Netherlands, then turns to Britain, where Thomas Beddoes mixed French chemistry, medicine, and democratic politics. With the 19th century, Humphrey Davy, emerging from Beddoes’s Pneumatic Institution (from which he rapidly distanced himself), took public chemistry dramatically to London. The following articles show how his friend Coleridge incorporated the science into a romantic philosophy of nature, and Faraday extended Davy’s work in electrochemistry, matter theory, and a theology of nature; even Hegel’s philosophy of geology based itself on chemistry. The final section explores debates about chemical affinity, qualities and arrangement. Au 18é s., la chimie s’établissait en tant que science autonome et publique, passant de l’industrie minière et de la médecine à l’agriculture et à la géologie; en vérité, à l’ensemble de la structure matérielle et culturelle de la société. Cette révolution chimique, dont l’épicentre était en France, finit par s’étaler rapidement de toute part. Le présent volume examine les aspects théoriques et pratiques de cette révolution en France et aux Pays-Bas, puis se tourne vers la Grande-Bretagne, où Thomas Beddoes mélangeait la chimie française à la médecine et à la politique démocratique. A l’orée du 19è s., Humphry Davy, émergeant de l’Institut Pneumatique de Beddoes (dont il se distancera rapidement), amena le chimie publique à Londres de façon théâtrale. Les articles suivants montrent commont son ami, Coleridge, incorpora la science à une philosophie romantique de la nature, et com