Goodwin, William (2009) SUSTAINING A CONTROVERSY: THE NON-CLASSICAL ION DEBATE. In: UNSPECIFIED.

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Abstract

ABSTRACT: This paper examines a scientific controversy that raged for twenty years in physical organic chemistry during the second half of the twentieth century. After explaining what was at stake in the Non-Classical Ion Debate, I attempt—by examining the methodological reflections of some of the participants—a partial explanation of why this debate was so difficult to resolve. Instead of suggesting a breakdown of scientific method or the futility of appeals to evidence, the endurance of this controversy instead reveals the heuristic character of many of the explanations and predictions generated by theoretical organic chemistry. The results in this case are used to suggest a new role for the study of scientific controversies in revealing the economics of inquiry in scientific fields.

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Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (UNSPECIFIED)
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Goodwin, William
Keywords:	organic chemistry, explanation, Non-classical Ions, controversy
Subjects:	General Issues > Structure of Theories General Issues > Explanation Specific Sciences > Chemistry General Issues > History of Science Case Studies
Depositing User:	William Mark Goodwin
Date Deposited:	24 Jan 2010
Last Modified:	07 Oct 2010 15:19
Item ID:	5131
Subjects:	General Issues > Structure of Theories General Issues > Explanation Specific Sciences > Chemistry General Issues > History of Science Case Studies
Date:	2009
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/5131

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