Positioned at the crossroads of the physical and biological sciences, chemistry deals with neither the infinitely small, nor the infinitely large, nor directly with life. So it is sometimes thought of as dull, the way things in the middle often are. But this middle ground is precisely where human beings exist. As Hoffmann shows in his inspired prose, the world observed at its molecular level is complex and agitated, as are the emotions of the supposedly dispassionate scientists who explore it. In The Same and Not the Same the vital tensions of chemistry are revealed; with down-to-earth explanations, Hoffmann uncovers the polarities that power, rend, and reform the world of molecules. When we wash an apple before eating it, we are thinking not merely of the dirt that may still be on it but of the pesticides used in agricultural production. When we take medication, we expect relief for our pain but also fear side effects. The Same and Not the Same shows this ambivalence to be only one of a number of dualities pervading the world of molecules. The theme of identity, reflected in the title of the book, is central to the story. Other dualities, from stasis and dynamics, to creation and discovery to the rich complexity of revealing and concealing, are lucidly delineated for nonscientist and scientist alike. The Same and Not the Same also offers a rare and compelling personal statement of the social responsibility of scientists. Unabashedly confronting some of the major ethical controversies in chemistry today, the book strives for balance in facing the pressing ecological and environmental concerns of our time.

Résumé
Nobel laureate Roald Hoffman confronts some of the major ethical controversies in chemistry today. Expertly weaving together examples from the worlds of art, literature, and philosophy, Hoffmann illustrates his uniquely accessible dialectic about the creative activity of chemists.

Contenu

Part One: Identity--the Central Problem 1. Lives of the Twins 2. What Are You? 3. Whirligigs 4. Fighting Reductionism 5. The Fish, the Worm, and the Molecule 6. Telling Them Apart 7. Isomerism 8. Are There Two Identical Molecules? 9. Handshakes in the Dark 10. Molecular Mimicry Part Two: The Way It Is Told 11. The Chemical Article 12. And How It Came to Be That Way 13. Beneath the Surface 14. The Semiotics of Chemistry 15. What DOES That Molecule Look Like? 16. Representation and Reality 17. Struggles 18. The Id Will Out Part Three: Making Molecules 19. Creation and Discovery 20. In Praise of Synthesis 21. Cubane, and the Art of Making It 22. The Aganippe Fountain 23. Natural/Unnatural 24. Out to Lunch 25. Why We Prefer the Natural 26. Janus and Nonlinearity Part Four: When Something is Wrong 27. Thalidomide 28. The Social Responsibility of Scientists Part Five: How, Just Exactly, Does it Happen? 29. Mechanism 30. The Salieri Syndrome 31. Static/Dynamic 32. Equilibrium and Perturbing It Part Six: A Life in Chemistry 33. Fritz Haber Part Seven: That Certain Magic 34. Catalyst! 35. Three Ways 36. Carboxypeptidase Part Eight: Value, Harm, and Democracy 37. Tyrian Purple, Woad, and Indigo 38. Chemistry and Industry 39. Athens 40. The Democratizing Nature of Chemistry 41. Environmental Concerns 42. Science and Technology in Classical Democracy 43. Anti-Plato; or, Why Scientists (or Engineers) Shouldn't Run the World 44. A Response to Worries About the Environment 45. Chemistry, Education, and Democracy Part Nine: The Adventures of a Diatomic 46. C2 In All Its Guises Part Ten: The Dualities That Enliven 47. Creation Is Hard Work 48. Missing 49. An Attribute of the Devil 50. Chemistry Tense, Full of Life? 51. Cheiron