CFP: The History of Chemistry and Scientific Realism

This is a call for papers for a 2-day workshop on the theme of the history of chemistry and scientific realism, to be held at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), 6th-7th December 2014.

Themes of the workshop include:

 Shedding light on episodes in the history of chemistry (both distant and recent) which currently have received little attention in the scientific realism debate. Especially cases where historical actors had significant explanatory/predictive successes with a theory now rejected.

 Bringing historical case studies from the history of chemistry to bear on philosophical positions, especially those coming under the broad heading of ‘scientific realism’. We especially welcome papers which engage with ‘selective’ or ‘divide et impera’ realism.


This two-day workshop will comprise roughly equal numbers of historians and philosophers of science.

Keynote speakers are as follows:

• William B. Jensen (see here for details: http://www.scs.illinois.edu/~mainzv/HIST/awards/Edelstein%20Papers/JensenEdelsteinBioJJB2.pdf )

• Alan Rocke (see here for details: http://history.case.edu/faculty/alan-rocke )

• Robin Hendry (see here for details: https://www.dur.ac.uk/philosophy/staff/?id=513 )

• Eric Scerri (see here for details: http://www.chem.ucla.edu/dept/Faculty/scerri/ )

Abstracts of no more than 500 words should be emailed to [email protected], by September 20th 2014 at the latest. Decisions will be made very soon thereafter.

Some of the travel/accommodation costs of accepted speakers will be covered, but speakers should expect to cover some of the costs through their home institution. Please email [email protected] if you require further details.