The Superiority of 'Chemical Thinking' for Understanding Free Human Society According to Hegel
Publication Type
Journal Article
Publication Date
1-2006
Abstract
This paper examines the claim of G.W.F. Hegel (1770-1831) that chemical thinking-the method of thinking employed in chemistry-marks a significant advance upon (and hence is superior to) meCHANistic thinking-the method of thinking characteristic of physics. This is done in the context of Mancur Olson's theory of collective action and public goods. The analogy between the efficiency of a catalyst in bringing about chemical transformation and the function of leaders in free human society in developing latent groups to provide public goods is explored.
Keywords
Hegel, chemical thinking, mechanism, public goods, Mancur Olson, latent group, leadership, free human society, mechanistic thinking
Discipline
Philosophy
Research Areas
Humanities
Publication
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
Volume
988
First Page
313
Last Page
321
ISSN
0077-8923
Identifier
10.1111/j.1749-6632.2003.tb06113.x
Publisher
Wiley
Citation
NOWACKI, Mark, & EECKE, Wilfried Ver.(2006). The Superiority of 'Chemical Thinking' for Understanding Free Human Society According to Hegel. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 988, 313-321.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/522
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2003.tb06113.x