CONTENTS -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 1 Introduction: Chemistry and Its Discontents -- The Philosophy of Chemistry -- The Image of Chemistry -- The Goals of the Book -- The Structure of the Book -- References -- Chapter 2 Chemistry and Pollution -- Chemical versus Natural -- Chemistry in Literature -- Silent Spring -- "Better Things for Better Living … Through Chemistry" -- Abundance and Waste -- Courting Disaster -- Artificial or Natural? -- References -- Chapter 3 The Damnation of the Alchemist -- Magicians or Charlatans -- In Defense of Artifice -- Faustian Ambitions -- From Extracts to Ersatz -- Pure and Applied Chemistry -- Artefacts as Hybrids of Nature and Society -- References -- Chapter 4 The Space of the Laboratory -- Chemical Recipe Books -- A Space of Toil -- Seeing at a Glance -- A Purified Space -- A Social Space -- An Instrumental Space -- References -- Chapter 5 Proof in the Laboratory -- Chemical Experiment as Public Spectacle -- Instruments of Decision -- The Power of Scepticism -- The Price of Proof -- The Limits of Proof -- References -- Chapter 6 Chemistry Creates Its Object -- The Different Meanings of Synthesis -- From Simple to Complex -- From Fictions to Artefacts -- A Creative Process -- References -- Chapter 7 A Duel between Two Conceptions of Matter -- The Ancient Concept of Phusis -- Atoms versus Elements -- Two Rival Systems -- Is Chemistry Aristotelian? -- The Aporia of the Mixt -- Mixts or Compounds, Stahl or Lavoisier -- A Vexing Question -- References -- Chapter 8 Chemistry versus Physics -- To Each Science Its Ontology -- The Ultimate Quest -- No Matter Without Qualities -- No Matter Without Agency -- References -- Chapter 9 Atoms or Elements -- Mendeleev's Wager -- Renewing Mendeleev's Wager -- Who's Afraid of Reductionism? -- Between the Macro and the Micro -- References.

Chapter 10 Positivism and Chemistry -- A Variety of Positivisms -- Chemistry as the Model for Positive Science -- Positivism as an Obstacle? -- Positivism versus Realism -- References -- Chapter 11 Atoms as Fictions -- Writing Formulae -- Types and Models -- Agnostic Atomism -- Atoms as Mediators -- The Phenomenalist Response -- The Instrumentalist Response -- The Energetist Response -- References -- Chapter 12 Agency and Relations -- Elements as Actors -- Operational Realism -- Alternative Metaphors -- References -- Chapter 13 Taming the Nanoworld -- Bottom-Up versus Top-Down -- Rational Design -- Bio-Inspired Chemistry -- The Return of Chemistry's Faustian Ambitions -- The Rise of Chemistry's Philosophical Ambitions -- References -- Chapter 14 Towards a Responsible Chemistry -- Concerns About the Future -- The Chemist's Code of Conduct -- From Prudence to Precaution -- A New Chemical Culture? -- References -- Bibliography -- Index.