title: Mechanical and chemical explanations in Du Clos' chemistry.
abstract: Samuel Cottereau Du Clos (1598-1685) appears as the first French chemist to combine in chemistry (for him, the science of substances, the physics of qualities) demonstrations using the laws of motion with demonstrations using the qualities of chemical principles. In this way, he brought to bear two different and complementary orders of explanation. According to Du Clos, the mechanical considerations represent a first approach, a stage towards the knowledge of "the truth of things" (la vérité des choses) in natural philosophy. He set out his chemistry at the Académie royale des sciences de Paris, especially through his criticism of Boyle's Certain Physiological Essays in 1668-1669.
authors.affiliation: Université de Lille (UMR 8163 STL CNRS), Villeneuve d'Ascq, France. Remi.Franckowiak@univ-lillei.fr
authors.forename: Rémi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Franckowiak
mesh_terms: D002621:Chemistry / Q000266:history*; D004739:England; D005602:France; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century