Un'infanzia difficile : la teoria della dissociazione elettrolitica nel XIX secolo / Roberto Maiocchi.
Abstract:
The theory of electrolytic dissociation represented the main chapter of modern chemistry-physics born in the last decades of 19th century. It was vigorously supported, in particular by Ostwald, Arrhenius and Nerst, but it was also harshly criticised. This paper reconstructs the theorical and empirical arguments, which were proposed for and against this theory. Namely, it shows on the one hand the great difficulties, that the supporters of the theory were faced with, and on the other hand the strategies that they adopted in order to overcome these problems. The final part discusses how certain models for a philosophical reconstruction of science shed light on this historical case
Nuncius A. 8, fasc. 1 (1993), p. 121-167