To a question on the features of methodological consciousness in chemistry

Chemistry, in the opinion of chemists studying its history, is both science and production. Chemical knowledge combined enduring problem: getting materials with desired properties. For understanding the specifics of methodological consciousness in chemistry subject of our analysis was a long discussion between chemists Proust and Berthollet which took place in XIX century. Proust won the dispute, relying on chemical picture of reality (CPR) formed in the process of integrating the Lavoisier's chemical element teaching with Dalton's atomistics. Proust won Berthollet due to the fact that the objects of his study obey the law of definite proportions, simple multiple proportions and equiva-lents.It may seem that full compliance of the prevailing ideas of the winning side with atomic and molecular paradigm leaves no room for fruitful researches to defeated Berthollet's supporters. The latter advocated continuous forms of the substance which was confirmed in experimental studies with objects such as solutions and alloys which were considered by Proust as physical mixtures. Misunderstanding was due to the fact that at low levels of physical and analytical experimental equipment it was impossible to distinguish chemical compounds from physical mixtures. Considering that there was no unanimity about the interpretation of many concepts and especially the theory of chemical affinity, an unambiguous assessment of the debate can't be considered as credible.In this situation Berthollet proposed the idea of chemical affinity dependency on many factors. It founds the approval and support of many influential chemists working with solutions. Their theoretical generalization, extrapolations, and analogies on the identification of the nature of chemical equilibrium dissociation had led to the discovery of transition (relative daltonidnoy and bertollidnoy) form of matter organization - activated complex. It can be stated that the functioning of the methodological consciousness in scientific chemistry is provided by its interconnection with production that allow using resources of different paradigms widely.

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