对“波义耳把化学确立为科学”的再认识——兼论波义耳与17世纪的化学

A Reappraisal of the Statement“Boyle Established Chemistry as Science”: Robert Boyle and the Seventeenth Century Chemistry

“波义耳把化学确立为科学”是恩格斯的著名论断之一 ,我国学者通常认为波义耳在《怀疑的化学家》中提出了科学的元素定义 ,从而“把化学确立为科学”。但是 ,据对原始文献的研究 ,发现波义耳根本就没有提出过什么科学的、近代的元素定义。他根本上怀疑元素的存在。因此 ,上述见解肯定是错误的。那么 ,如何理解“波义耳把化学确立为科学”呢 ?本文考察了波义耳的著作《怀疑的化学家》和他的机械论哲学 (或称微粒哲学 )的主要论点 ,提出 :波义耳建立了机械论化学 ,从而“把化学确立为科学”。

Boyle established chemistry as science”,one of the most famous statements made by Engels,has long been misunderstood by most of the chinese scholars.They believed that Robert Boyle formulated the modern definition of element in The Sceptical Chemist thus Boyle established chemistry as science.However,it is found that boyle did not ever put forward the modern definition of element if we study Boyle's original literature.Boyle was sceptical of the existence of those substances called element.So arises the problem that how to understand the meaning of Engles'statement.The author made a study of Boyle's book and his mechanical philosophy(or corpuscular philosophy)and concluded that because he formulated the mechanical chemistry,Boyle established chemistry as science.