Chemistry in Encyclopedia: a loose, revalued and autonomous branch ; La chimie dans l'Encyclopédie : une branche tour à tour dépréciée, réévaluée et autonome

Abstract

The Encyclopaedia opens with a biased presentation of chemistry, which is totally undervalued compared with old chemistry (alchemistry) which is used as an extraordinary chemistry to which we must tender. A change of staff is an opportunity to reassess the chemistry discourse, but also to highlight the autonomy of the field and to assert the vast area defined by the great variety of its objects, which is reflected in the typography of the large number of forms used to designate the region of knowledge to which the subject of articles closely or far related to chemistry relates. This strong presence of autonomous chemical knowledge, presented as a 'trunk', in the physical sciences and the arts implicitly leads to a new organisation of the knowledge tree. ; International audience The Encyclopédie opens with a biased presentation of chemistry, which is completely devalued compared to earlier chemistry (alchemy), seen as an extraordinary chemistry to be aimed at. The renewal of contributors provided the opportunity to reevaluate it and also to demonstrate the field's autonomy and insist on its vast territory defined by the great variety of objects of study. This is expressed in the typography of a large number of forms used to designate the region of knowledge to which the subject of articles more or less linked to chemistry belong. This strong presence of autonomous chemical knowledge, presented as a 'trunk' in physical science and the arts implicitly leads to a new organisation of the tree of knowledge. ; The Encyclopaedia opens with a biased presentation of chemistry, which is totally undervalued compared with old chemistry (alchemistry) which is used as an extraordinary chemistry to which we must tender. A change of staff is an opportunity to reassess the chemistry discourse, but also to highlight the autonomy of the field and to assert the vast area defined by the great variety of its objects, which is reflected in the typography of the large number of forms used to designate the region of knowledge to which ...