Article Title：An appraisal of Mendeleev's contribution to the development of the periodic table
Abstract：
Historians and philosophers of science generally conceptualize scientific progress to be dichotomous, viz., experimental observations lead to scientific laws, which later facilitate the elaboration of explanatory theories. There is considerable controversy in the literature with respect to Mendeleev's contribution to the origin, nature, and development of the periodic table. The objectives of this study are to explore and reconstruct: a) periodicity in the periodic table as a function of atomic theory; b) role of predictions in scientific theories and its implications for the periodic table; and c) Mendeleev's contribution: theory or an empirical law? The reconstruction shows that despite Mendeleev's own ambivalence, periodicity of properties of chemical elements in the periodic table can be attributed to the atomic theory. It is argued that based on the Lakatosian framework, predictions (novel facts) play an important role in the development of scientific theories. In this context, Mendeleev's predictions played a crucial role in the development of the periodic table. Finally, it is concluded that Mendeleev's contribution can be considered as an interpretative theory which became explanatory after the periodic table was based on atomic numbers. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: periodic table; Mendeleev's contribution; theory; empirical law; interpretative theory
DOI: 10.1016/j.shpsa.2003.12.014
Source：STUDIES IN HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
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