Traite Motivation

From WikidChem

Lavoisier's "the Elementary Treatise of Chemistry" is based on new discoveries. He did not simply summarize the existing knowlege, but presented "A NEW ORDER" in the association with "MODERN DISCOVERIES". In the tittle page of this book, as mentioned in the class, Lavoisier also listed the "de celles de Philadelphie" which means "of those of Philadelphia", the academy of Philadelphia, because he is the friend of Benjamin Franklin.

Then in the "Discourse Preliminary", he provided his motivation of his research and writing of this book, which was originally "reforming and completing the nomenclature of chemistry". Lavoisier argued that languadge is the media through which we think. "the art of reasoning is nothing more than a languadge well arranged."

He also provided the connection between "word", "idea" and "fact". he said "the word ought to produce the idea, and the idea to be a picture of the fact". As these three concepts are "three impressions of the same seal", the improvement of science and the development of the languadge of science, in this case the nomenclature of Chemistry, is tightly associated. In this way, he justified the turning of his work from the nomenclature to both the nomenclature AND the elements.

(the above from Andrew Wu, edited and added by Yang, Ge)