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Chemistry is often called the central science because of its role in connecting the physical sciences,^[1] which include chemistry, with the life sciences, pharmaceutical sciences and applied sciences such as medicine and engineering. The nature of this relationship is one of the main topics in the philosophy of chemistry and in scientometrics. The phrase was popularized by its use in a textbook by Theodore L. Brown and H. Eugene LeMay, titled Chemistry: The Central Science, which was first published in 1977, with a thirteenth edition published in 2014.^[2]

The central role of chemistry can be seen in the systematic and hierarchical classification of the sciences by Auguste Comte. Each discipline provides a more general framework for the area it precedes (mathematics → astronomy → physics → chemistry → biology → social sciences).^[3] Balaban and Klein have more recently proposed a diagram showing the partial ordering of sciences in which chemistry may be argued is “the central science” since it provides a significant degree of branching.^[4] In forming these connections the lower field cannot be fully reduced to the higher ones. It is recognized that the lower fields possess emergent ideas and concepts that do not exist in the higher fields of science.

Thus chemistry is built on an understanding of laws of physics that govern particles such as atoms, protons, neutrons, electrons, thermodynamics, etc. although it has been shown that it has not been “fully 'reduced' to quantum mechanics”.^[5]^[6] Concepts such as the periodicity of the elements and chemical bonds in chemistry are emergent in that they are more than the underlying forces defined by physics.

In the same way, biology cannot be fully reduced to chemistry, although the machinery that is responsible for life is composed of molecules.^[7] For instance, the machinery of evolution may be described in terms of chemistry by the understanding that it is a mutation in the order of genetic base pairs in the DNA of an organism. However, chemistry cannot fully describe the process since it does not contain concepts such as natural selection that are responsible for driving evolution. Chemistry is fundamental to biology since it provides a methodology for studying and understanding the molecules that compose cells.

Connections made by chemistry are formed through various sub-disciplines that utilize concepts from multiple scientific disciplines. Chemistry and physics are both needed in the areas of physical chemistry, nuclear chemistry, and theoretical chemistry. Chemistry and biology intersect in the areas of biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, molecular biology, chemical biology, molecular genetics, and immunochemistry. Chemistry and the earth sciences intersect in areas like geochemistry and hydrology.

References

^ John M. Malin “International Year of Chemistry - 2011 Chemistry – our life, our future” "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-23. Retrieved 2011-01-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ Theodore L. Brown and H. Eugene LeMay Chemistry: The Central Science. Prentice Hall, 1977. ISBN 0-13-128769-9.
^ Lobb, S. (1871). A Brief View Of Positivism, Compiled from the Works of Auguste Comte. Thacker, Spink and Co., Calcutta. p. iii and 22.
^ ”Is chemistry ‘The Central Science’? How are different sciences related? Co-citations, reductionism, emergence, and posets” Alexandru T. Balaban, Douglas J. Klein Scientometrics 2006, 69, 615-637. doi:10.1007/s11192-006-0173-2
^ Eric Scerri “Philosophy of Chemistry” Chemistry International, Vol. 25 No. 3 [1].
^ Eric R. Scerri The Periodic Table: Its Story and Its Significance. Oxford University Press, 2006. ISBN 0-19-530573-6.
^ Dennis R Livesay “At the crossroads of biomacromolecular research: highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of the field” Chemistry Central Journal 2007, 1:4 doi:10.1186/1752-153X-1-4.

[1] John M. Malin “International Year of Chemistry - 2011 Chemistry – our life, our future” "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-23. Retrieved 2011-01-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[2] Theodore L. Brown and H. Eugene LeMay Chemistry: The Central Science. Prentice Hall, 1977. ISBN 0-13-128769-9.

[3] Lobb, S. (1871). A Brief View Of Positivism, Compiled from the Works of Auguste Comte. Thacker, Spink and Co., Calcutta. p. iii and 22.

[4] ”Is chemistry ‘The Central Science’? How are different sciences related? Co-citations, reductionism, emergence, and posets” Alexandru T. Balaban, Douglas J. Klein Scientometrics 2006, 69, 615-637. doi:10.1007/s11192-006-0173-2

[5] Eric Scerri “Philosophy of Chemistry” Chemistry International, Vol. 25 No. 3 [1].

[6] Eric R. Scerri The Periodic Table: Its Story and Its Significance. Oxford University Press, 2006. ISBN 0-19-530573-6.

[7] Dennis R Livesay “At the crossroads of biomacromolecular research: highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of the field” Chemistry Central Journal 2007, 1:4 doi:10.1186/1752-153X-1-4.

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 {{Short description|Term often associated with chemistry}}
 [[File:Partial ordering of the sciences Balaban Klein Scientometrics2006 615-637.svg|thumb|300px|Partial ordering of the sciences proposed by Balaban and Klein.]]
-[[Chemistry]] is often called '''the central science''' because of its role in connecting the [[physical science]]s,<ref>John M. Malin “International Year of Chemistry - 2011 Chemistry – our life, our future” {{cite web |url=http://portal.acs.org/portal/fileFetch/C/CNBP_022050/pdf/CNBP_022050.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2011-01-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323220047/http://portal.acs.org/portal/fileFetch/C/CNBP_022050/pdf/CNBP_022050.pdf |archive-date=2012-03-23 }}</ref> which include chemistry, with the [[biology|life sciences]] and [[applied science]]s such as [[medicine]] and [[engineering]].  The nature of this relationship is one of the main topics in the [[philosophy of chemistry]] and in [[scientometrics]]. The phrase was popularized by its use in a textbook by [[Theodore L. Brown]] and H. Eugene LeMay, titled ''Chemistry: The Central Science'', which was first published in 1977, with a thirteenth edition published in 2014.<ref>Theodore L. Brown and H. Eugene LeMay ''Chemistry: The Central Science''. Prentice Hall, 1977. {{ISBN|0-13-128769-9}}.</ref>
+[[Chemistry]] is often called '''the central science''' because of its role in connecting the [[physical science]]s,<ref>John M. Malin “International Year of Chemistry - 2011 Chemistry – our life, our future” {{cite web |url=http://portal.acs.org/portal/fileFetch/C/CNBP_022050/pdf/CNBP_022050.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2011-01-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323220047/http://portal.acs.org/portal/fileFetch/C/CNBP_022050/pdf/CNBP_022050.pdf |archive-date=2012-03-23 }}</ref> which include chemistry, with the [[biology|life sciences]], pharmaceutical sciences and [[applied science]]s such as [[medicine]] and [[engineering]].  The nature of this relationship is one of the main topics in the [[philosophy of chemistry]] and in [[scientometrics]]. The phrase was popularized by its use in a textbook by [[Theodore L. Brown]] and H. Eugene LeMay, titled ''Chemistry: The Central Science'', which was first published in 1977, with a thirteenth edition published in 2014.<ref>Theodore L. Brown and H. Eugene LeMay ''Chemistry: The Central Science''. Prentice Hall, 1977. {{ISBN|0-13-128769-9}}.</ref>
 The central role of chemistry can be seen in the systematic and [[hierarchical classification]] of the sciences by [[Auguste Comte]]. Each discipline provides a more general framework for the area it precedes ([[mathematics]] → [[astronomy]] → [[physics]] → chemistry → [[biology]] → [[Social science|social sciences]]).<ref>{{Cite book|last=Lobb|first=S.|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.1764|title=A Brief View Of Positivism, Compiled from the Works of Auguste Comte|date=1871|publisher=Thacker, Spink and Co., Calcutta|page=iii and 22}}</ref>  Balaban and Klein have more recently proposed a diagram showing the partial ordering of sciences in which chemistry may be argued is “the central science” since it provides a significant degree of branching.<ref>”Is chemistry ‘The Central Science’? How are different sciences related? Co-citations, reductionism, emergence, and posets” Alexandru T. Balaban, Douglas J. Klein ''Scientometrics'' '''2006''', ''69'', 615-637. {{doi|10.1007/s11192-006-0173-2}}</ref>  In forming these connections the lower field [[Irreducible (philosophy)|cannot be fully reduced]] to the higher ones.  It is recognized that the lower fields possess [[Emergence|emergent]] ideas and concepts that do not exist in the higher fields of science.

v t e Branches of chemistry
Glossary of chemical formulae List of biomolecules List of inorganic compounds Periodic table
Analytical	Instrumental chemistry Electroanalytical methods Spectroscopy IR Raman UV-Vis NMR Mass spectrometry EI ICP MALDI Separation process Chromatography GC HPLC Crystallography Characterization Titration Wet chemistry Calorimetry Elemental analysis
Theoretical	Quantum chemistry Computational chemistry Mathematical chemistry Molecular modelling Molecular mechanics Molecular dynamics Molecular geometry VSEPR theory
Physical	Electrochemistry Spectroelectrochemistry Photoelectrochemistry Thermochemistry Chemical thermodynamics Surface science Interface and colloid science Micromeritics Cryochemistry Sonochemistry Structural chemistry Chemical physics Molecular physics Femtochemistry Chemical kinetics Spectroscopy Photochemistry Spin chemistry Microwave chemistry Equilibrium chemistry Mechanochemistry
Inorganic	Coordination chemistry Magnetochemistry Organometallic chemistry Organolanthanide chemistry Cluster chemistry Solid-state chemistry Ceramic chemistry
Organic	Stereochemistry Alkane stereochemistry Physical organic chemistry Organic reactions Organic synthesis Retrosynthetic analysis Enantioselective synthesis Total synthesis / Semisynthesis Fullerene chemistry Polymer chemistry Petrochemistry Dynamic covalent chemistry
Biological	Biochemistry Molecular biology Cell biology Chemical biology Bioorthogonal chemistry Medicinal chemistry Pharmacology Clinical chemistry Neurochemistry Bioorganic chemistry Bioorganometallic chemistry Bioinorganic chemistry Biophysical chemistry
Interdisciplinarity	Nuclear chemistry Radiochemistry Radiation chemistry Actinide chemistry Cosmochemistry / Astrochemistry / Stellar chemistry Geochemistry Biogeochemistry Photogeochemistry Environmental chemistry Atmospheric chemistry Ocean chemistry Clay chemistry Carbochemistry Food chemistry Carbohydrate chemistry Food physical chemistry Agricultural chemistry Soil chemistry Chemistry education Amateur chemistry General chemistry Clandestine chemistry Forensic chemistry Forensic toxicology Post-mortem chemistry Nanochemistry Supramolecular chemistry Chemical synthesis Green chemistry Click chemistry Combinatorial chemistry Biosynthesis Chemical engineering Stoichiometry Materials science Metallurgy Ceramic engineering Polymer science
See also	History of chemistry Nobel Prize in Chemistry Timeline of chemistry of element discoveries "The central science" Chemical reaction Catalysis Chemical element Chemical compound Atom Molecule Ion Chemical substance Chemical bond Alchemy Quantum mechanics
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Revision as of 15:28, 7 February 2023

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References