History of the Ideas in Chemistry

Recommended Prerequisites

The course is lectured in Portuguese, so that a good domain of this language is required.

Teaching Methods

The lectures are supported in presentations with simple texts and diagrams, graphs, etc.., With the support of media. There is opportunity to discuss the more difficult concepts and issues, with the active involvement of students in the discussion.

The synopsis to be written by the students will be presented to the class by the authors and discussed with the other students and the teacher.

Learning Outcomes

Meet specific content in the study area.

Knowing the forms of communication of scientific ideas

Meet the evolution of scientific instruments and experimental methodologies

Recognize the role of tacit knowledge in the creation of scientific traditions in chemistry.

Relate scientific development with social and technological aspects.

Relate the development of ideas in chemistry with the dogmatic teaching of sciences and its expression in scientific paradigms.

Recognize the scientific controversy as the ecological niche where the roles of authority,  tradition and originality in science articulate.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

The roles of Chemistry: Occult Science, Mechanistic, Independent, Fundamental, Revolutionary or inductive (?), Experimental, useful, deductive, descriptive and classificative, for teaching, reducible, practical. The conquest of territories. The conquest of the social. The importance of scientific controversy. Epistemology of Chemistry.

Head Lecturer(s)

Rui Fausto Martins Ribeiro da Silva Lourenço

Assessment Methods

Assessement
oral presentation of synthesis work: 25.0%
Synthesis work: 25.0%
Exam: 50.0%

Assessement
oral presentation of synthesis work: 25.0%
Synthesis work: 25.0%
Frequency: 50.0%

Bibliography

Aaron Ihde, “The Development of Modern Chemistry”, Harper & Row, 1964.

J.R. Partington, “A Short History of Chemistry”, MacMillan, 1937.

W. Brock, “The Fontana History of Chemistry”, Fontana, 1992.

Hugh Salzberg, “From Caveman to Chemist”, ACS, 1991.

John Servos, “Physical Chemistry from Ostwald to Pauling”, Princeton, 1990.

Keith Laidler, “The World of Physical Chemistry”, Oxford, 1993.

Bernardette Bensaude-Vincent e Isabelle Stengers, “História da Química”, Instituto Piaget, 1992.

David Knight, “Ideas in Chemistry”, The Athlone Press, 1995.

Alexander Roob, “Alquimia & Misticismo”, Taschen, 2001.

Amorim da Costa, “Alquimia. Um discurso religioso”, Janus, 1999