Staff
Dr RF Hendry, BSc, PhD
Biography
I graduated with a BSc in Chemistry and the Philosophy of Science from King's College London and the LSE, in 1989. Foundational problems in quantum chemistry prompted me to sign up for a PhD in Philosophy at the LSE, though my thesis, when completed in late 1993, entitled 'Realism, history and the quantum theory' mostly concerned Imre Lakatos' views on methodology, the historical development of quantum theory, and scientific realism. My first lectureship was at the University of Edinburgh (January-September 1994), after which I came to Durham in October 1994. Since then I have worked on scientific realism, modeling in the physical sciences, and the history and philosophy of chemistry and its relationship to physics. The last project has recently issued in a book, thanks to research fellowships granted by the Leverhulme Trust and the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Philosophy apart, I live in a village just outside Durham with my wife Daniela, our three children (Jacob, Helena and Lily) and Boogie the cat. I have little time for hobbies except books and drink. My areas of research include philosophical issues in chemistry, general metaphysical issues in science like unity and natural kinds, and epistemology.
Postgraduate teaching
Philosophical Issues in Science and Medicine
Research supervision
I have supervised a range of PhD research projects in the philosophy of science and epistemology. I would especially welcome enquiries from students wishing to pursue postgraduate research on foundational and historical topics in chemistry and other physical sciences.
Works in Progress
I have recently completed a book project entitled The Metaphysics of Chemistry. I am co-editing, with Andrea Woody, the Handbook of the Philosophy of Chemistry, as part of a multi-volume project to be published by Elsevier. Also under contract is a textbook on philosophy of chemistry, for Acumen Publishing. Longer term I look forward to co-authoring a textbook on reasoning and formal logic for philosophical purposes.
Books apart, I am currently engaged in two collaborative projects: on the history and philosophy of the concept of chemical substance (with Matthew Eddy), on foundational aspects of the chemical bond (with the GIW).
Undergraduate teaching modules
Philosophical Issues in Contemporary Science
Reason Knowledge and Society
Introduction to Logic
Administrative duties
Chair, Department Teaching and Learning Commmittee
Chair, Board of Examiners in Philosophy, Politics and Economics
Research Groups
- History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine
Research Interests
- History and philosophy of quantum physics and chemistry
- Scientific method and rationality
- Scientific realism and anti-realism
Selected Publications
Books: sections
- Hendry, RF 2006. ‘Is there downward causation in chemistry?’. In Philosophy of Chemistry: Synthesis of a New Discipline. Davis Baird, Eric Scerri & Lee McIntyre Berlin: Springer. 242: 173-189. (Additional information) (View publication online)
Journal papers: academic
- Hendry RF 2006. ‘Elements, compounds and other chemical kinds’. Philosophy of Science 73(5): 864-875. (Additional information) (View publication online)
- Hendry, Robin Findlay 2006. 'Substantial confusion'. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science 37: 322-336.
- Hendry RF 2005. ‘Lavoisier and Mendeleev on the elements’. Foundations of Chemistry 7(1): 31-48. (Additional information) (View publication online)
- Hendry RF 2004. ‘The physicists, the chemists and the pragmatics of explanation’. Philosophy of Science 71(5): 1048-1059. (Additional information) (View publication online)
Media Contacts
Available for media contact about:
- Science: Education, industry & the community: scientific methods & objectivity
- Science: Education, industry & the community: experimentation
