title: The superiority of "chemical thinking" for understanding free human society according to Hegel.
abstract: This paper examines the claim of G.W.F. Hegel (1770-1831) that "chemical thinking"-the method of thinking employed in chemistry-marks a significant advance upon (and hence is superior to) "mechanistic thinking"-the method of thinking characteristic of physics. This is done in the context of Mancur Olson's theory of collective action and public goods. The analogy between the efficiency of a catalyst in bringing about chemical transformation and the function of leaders in free human society in developing latent groups to provide public goods is explored.
authors.affiliation: Department of Philosophy, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA. nowacki@gwu.edu
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Nowacki
authors.forename: Wilfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ver Eecke