Cancelled: Talk: Vanessa Seifert (Athens)

Title:

What are chemical reactions?

Abstract:

I consider whether chemical reactions can be understood as causal relations by addressing two questions. First, what are the relata of this putative relation, and second, what is the relation? With respect to the first question, I examine the role of thermodynamic conditions and catalysis in the realisation of chemical reactions. Based on this, I point out that it is not a straightforward matter to establish the relata of this putative relation because classic problems around causation arise. With respect to the second question, I employ Hall’s (2004) distinction between causation as production and dependence. I consider which of the two is best supported in light of what we know about chemical reactions from chemistry. In particular, I consider the role of reaction mechanisms and affinity tables and argue that these two features match better with the idea of causation that is formulated by productive accounts. All in all, while a non-Humean understanding of causation may fit better to how reactions are generally construed, what chemical reactions are is far from uncontroversial.