About the different ontological levels of chemistry

Abstract

In this article, the relationships between the different ontological levels involved in chemistry are analyzed: between the macro-chemistry of substances and molecular micro-chemistry, and between this last one and quantum mechanics. In both cases, the aim is to stress the deep breakdown resulting from the ontological categories that structure the considered domains. On this basis, possible philosophical perspectives to address those relationships are discussed: reductionism, emergentism and pluralism. Finally, it is considered whether quantum chemistry can supply an adequate link to relate the quantum physical level and the molecular chemical level.