Chemistry: A Language, An Algebra-Coburg 2008

Leibniz Lavoisier Mendeleev Chemistry today
Chemistry
A language, an algebra
Guillermo Restrepo1 2 José L. Villaveces3
1 Laboratorio de Química Teórica, Universidad de Pamplona, Pamplona, Colombia

2 Department of Marine Sciences, Texas A&M University, Galveston, TX, USA
3 Vicerrectoría de Investigaciones, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
4th August 2008 / ISPC 2008
Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

Leibniz Lavoisier Mendeleev Chemistry today
Outline
1 Leibniz
Leibnizian program
2 Lavoisier
A chemical language
An algebra
3 Mendeleev
Chemical structure
4 Chemistry today
Language
Structure
Algebra

Leibniz Lavoisier Mendeleev Chemistry today Leibnizian program
Outline
1 Leibniz
Leibnizian program
2 Lavoisier
A chemical language
An algebra
3 Mendeleev
Chemical structure
4 Chemistry today
Language
Structure
Algebra

Leibnizian program
1666: De Arte Combinatoria

Lingua philosophica
Find true statements about the
world.
Analyse them to get their logical
elements (logical assertions that
cannot be analysed any further).
Express each of these logical
elements by symbols (a symbol for
each one).
It will be possible, by proper
application of logical rules, to
compose true statements and even
more.

Leibnizian program

Lingua philosophica
world.
each one).
more.

Leibnizian program

Lingua philosophica
world.
each one).
more.

Leibnizian program

Lingua philosophica
world.
each one).
more.

Leibnizian program

Lingua philosophica
world.
each one).
more.


Condillac
“We do not think more than with words’

assistance; languages are genuine
analytical methods; the algebra more
simple, more exact and more adequate
to the form of its object is at the same
time a language and an analytical
method”.

Condillac
“We do not think more than with words’

assistance; languages are genuine
analytical methods; the algebra more
simple, more exact and more adequate
to the form of its object is at the same
time a language and an analytical
method”.
“The art of thinking is nothing else than a

language well done”.

What have to do Leibniz and Condillac with this symposium?


Let us see...


Let us see...


Let us see...
This is an extract from...


Lavoisier simply wanted to improve

the chemical nomenclature.
The right nomenclature

became a complete chemistry
treatise.
...which meets the Leibnizan

program.
Let us have a look to

Lavoisier´s work.

Leibniz Lavoisier Mendeleev Chemistry today A chemical language An algebra
Outline
1 Leibniz
Leibnizian program
2 Lavoisier
A chemical language
An algebra
3 Mendeleev
Chemical structure
4 Chemistry today
Language
Structure
Algebra

A chemical language
Chemical elements and the Leibnizian

program
Find some real substances.
Analyse them into their chemical
elements (substances that cannot
be analysed any further).
Express each of these elements by
symbols (a symbol for each one).
application of chemical rules, to
combine chemical elements to find
substances and even new ones.

A chemical language

program

A chemical language

program

A chemical language

program

A chemical language

program

Outline
1 Leibniz
Leibnizian program
2 Lavoisier
A chemical language
An algebra
3 Mendeleev
Chemical structure
4 Chemistry today
Language
Structure
Algebra

A chemical algebra
Lavoisier´s chemical syntax

A chemical algebra
Lavoisier´s chemical syntax
But this is also an

algebra!
E = M ∪ nM ∪ O
M + O → Mx Oy ∈ Ox
nM +O → nMj Ok ∈ A
MO + nMO → s ∈ S

A finer algebra

However...
“jeder besonderen Naturlehre nur so

viel Wissenschaft angetroffen werden
könne, als darin Mathematik anzutreffen
ist”.
“...so kann Chemie nichts mehr als

Kunst oder Experimentallehre, niemals
aber eigentliche Wissenschaft werden”.

However...

ist”.

But chemistry is susceptible of mathematisation!

However...

ist”.

At Kant´s times, mathematics needed for chemistry was

incipient.

However...

ist”.

At Kant´s times, mathematics needed for chemistry was

incipient.
If you do not get the tool at the moment it does not mean you
will never get it!
Why Kant said that?

Why Kant said that?
Kant was influenced

by the success of
Newtonian physics.

Why Kant said that?
Kant was influenced

by the success of
Newtonian physics.
But...

Leibniz, again!
1710: Theodocy The best of all possible worlds

God is an “optimiser” of the collection of original
possibilities.
It is too parochial to think of isolated systems, it is the
whole set of relations among all sentient beings that is to
be studied.

Leibniz, again!

possibilities.
be studied.

Leibniz, again!

possibilities.
be studied.

Leibniz, again!

possibilities.
be studied.
Hence...

Leibniz, again!

possibilities.
be studied.
Hence...
 Leibniz → Lavoisier → . . .
Dirac


Newton → Kant → Bader
 ...



Leibniz Lavoisier Mendeleev Chemistry today Chemical structure
Outline
1 Leibniz
Leibnizian program
2 Lavoisier
A chemical language
An algebra
3 Mendeleev
Chemical structure
4 Chemistry today
Language
Structure
Algebra

Chemical structure
Study of the whole set of chemical elements.
Relations between chemical elements (groups, periods).
What he got was a structure for the chemical elements.
S = (Q, R), S structure, Q chemical elements, R a binary

relation for elements of Q.
Chemical structure

Chemical structure

Chemical structure

Leibniz Lavoisier Mendeleev Chemistry today Language Structure Algebra
Outline
1 Leibniz
Leibnizian program
2 Lavoisier
A chemical language
An algebra
3 Mendeleev
Chemical structure
4 Chemistry today
Language
Structure
Algebra

Language, structure and algebra for chemistry today
A general
language

A general
language
Chemical
language

Outline
1 Leibniz
Leibnizian program
2 Lavoisier
A chemical language
An algebra
3 Mendeleev
Chemical structure
4 Chemistry today
Language
Structure
Algebra

Topological structure of the chemical elements
→ Similarity → Similarity → Topology ⇒ (Q, τ )

searching neighbourhoods (τ )

Non metals

Boundary of non metals

Outline
1 Leibniz
Leibnizian program
2 Lavoisier
A chemical language
An algebra
3 Mendeleev
Chemical structure
4 Chemistry today
Language
Structure
Algebra

An algebra based upon the topological relationships among the

chemical substances!

Conclusions
Leibnizian program Mendeleevian program
Thee key of this program is the analysis of the complete

set of systems as a whole.

Conclusions
Leibnizian program Lavoisierian program

Find some real
Find true statements about
substances.
the world.
Analyse them into their
Analyse them to get their
chemical elements
logical elements (logical
(substances that cannot be
assertions that cannot be
analysed any further).
Express each of these
Express each of the logical
elements by symbols (a
symbol for each one).
It will be possible, by
proper application of
chemical rules, to combine
logical rules, to compose
chemical elements to find
true statements and even
real susbtances and even
more.
new ones.

Conclusions

Find some real
substances.
the world.
chemical elements
more.
new ones.

Conclusions

Find some real
substances.
the world.
chemical elements
more.
new ones.

Conclusions

Find some real
substances.
the world.
chemical elements
more.
new ones.

Conclusions

Find some real
substances.
the world.
chemical elements
more.
new ones.

Conclusions
Chemistry meets the Leibnizian program.
This science constitutes a lingua philosophica to talk and

think about substances and their relationships.
There have been big steps towards the understanding of

the syntax of this language (Lavoisier, Mendeleev,...).
Lavoisier and Mendeleev works can be interpreted as an

algebra of sets.

Outlook
Currently, the amount of chemical information and the

computational facilities permit to study the network of
chemical reactions as a whole, which would lead to a more
complete understanding of the syntax of this lingua
philosophica.
Based upon the topological structure of the chemical

elements, this study may be extended to a large set of
chemical susbtances.
In this way, an algebra with topological grounds may be

found.

Is it not evident that a being

really exists only in so far as it acts?
A being absolutely passive is a pure nothing.
Leibniz
Quid non agit non existit.

Leibniz
Nature is a collective idea,

and though its essence exist
in each individual of the species,
can never its perfection
inhabit a single object.
Fuseli

Is it not evident that a being

really exists only in so far as it acts?
A being absolutely passive is a pure nothing.
Leibniz
Quid non agit non existit.

Leibniz
Nature is a collective idea,

and though its essence exist
in each individual of the species,
can never its perfection
inhabit a single object.
Fuseli
Danke schön!

Chemistry: A Language, An Algebra-Coburg 2008

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Leibniz Lavoisier Mendeleev Chemistry today

Guillermo Restrepo1 2 José L. Villaveces3

1 Laboratorio de Química Teórica, Universidad de Pamplona, Pamplona, Colombia

4th August 2008 / ISPC 2008

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

1666: De Arte Combinatoria

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

1666: De Arte Combinatoria

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

1666: De Arte Combinatoria

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

1666: De Arte Combinatoria

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

1666: De Arte Combinatoria

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

“We do not think more than with words’

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

“We do not think more than with words’

“The art of thinking is nothing else than a

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

What have to do Leibniz and Condillac with this symposium?

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

What have to do Leibniz and Condillac with this symposium?

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

What have to do Leibniz and Condillac with this symposium?

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

What have to do Leibniz and Condillac with this symposium?

This is an extract from...

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

Lavoisier simply wanted to improve

The right nomenclature

...which meets the Leibnizan

Let us have a look to

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

Chemical elements and the Leibnizian

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

Chemical elements and the Leibnizian

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

Chemical elements and the Leibnizian

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

Chemical elements and the Leibnizian

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

Chemical elements and the Leibnizian

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

Lavoisier´s chemical syntax

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

Lavoisier´s chemical syntax

But this is also an

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

“jeder besonderen Naturlehre nur so

“...so kann Chemie nichts mehr als

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra

“jeder besonderen Naturlehre nur so

“...so kann Chemie nichts mehr als

But chemistry is susceptible of mathematisation!

Restrepo, Villaveces Chemistry: A language, an algebra