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Staff profile

Overview

Professor Robin Hendry

Professor/ Co-Director of CHESS / On research leave

Affiliations
Affiliation
Professor/ Co-Director of CHESS / On research leave in the Department of Philosophy

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, was entitled 'Realism, history and the quantum theory'. It 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.

My areas of research include: philosophical issues in chemistry such as the nature of chemical substances, molecular structure and the chemical bond; and general metaphysical issues in science such as unity and natural kinds. For a list of publications and works in progress see my personal research page.

Robin Hendry CV

Recent Grants and Awards
  • 2021-23: The Successes and Failures of Science Through the Lens of Intellectual Humility: Perspectives from the History and Philosophy of Science. John Templeton Foundation (with Nancy Cartwright - further details; CHESS project page).
  • 2014-15: 'Emergence: Where is the Evidence?' Research Networking Scheme, Arts and Humanities Research Council (as co-investigator, PI Sophie Gibb - further details).
  • 2013-16: The Durham Emergence Project Three-year interdisciplinary research initiative across philosophy of science, philosophy of mind and condensed matter physics, involving postdoctoral fellowships, PhD studentships, a research funding competition, two summer schools and a final conference. John Templeton Foundation (with co-Investigators E.J. Lowe, Tom McLeish - further details).
  • 2012: 'Structure in Chemistry: A Preliminary Investigation' Exploratory Award, Arts and Humanities Research Council (further details).
  • 2009: Fellowship under the theme of 'Water' Institute of Advanced Study, Durham University
  • 2005: 'The Metaphysics of Chemistry' Research Leave Scheme, Arts & Humanities Research Council
  • 2003-4: 'The Metaphysics of Chemistry' Research Fellowship, Leverhulme Trust
Works in Progress
  • With my Durham colleague Tom Rossetter I am writing a Cambridge Element entitled Trusting Chemistry, on chemistry's intellectual and practical achievements in the nineteenth century. For a number of years I have also been completing a monograph entitled The Metaphysics of Chemistry.
  • Books apart, my research covers all aspects of the history and philosophy of chemistry and its relationship to physics. I am currently writing papers defending a pluralist and realist conception of structure in chemistry, and on anti-anti-realism, an attempt to reset the dialectic of the scientific realism debate.
Research Interests
  • History and philosophy of chemistry and its relationship to physics
  • The relationship between history and philosophy of science
Research supervision
  • I have supervised a range of PhD research projects in the history and philosophy of science. I would especially welcome enquiries from students wishing to pursue postgraduate research on foundational and historical topics in chemistry and other physical sciences.
Postgraduate teaching
  • Philosophical Issues in Science and Medicine
Undergraduate teaching modules
Administrative duties
  • Co-Director, Centre for Humanities Engaging Science and Society
  • I am currently on research leave, but have previously been Head of Department (twice), Director of Research (twice) and Secretary then Chair of the Department Teaching and Learning Committee.

Research interests

  • History and philosophy of chemistry and its relationship to physics
  • The relationship between history and philosophy of science

Publications

Chapter in book

  • Trusting Atoms
    Hendry, R. F. (2020). Trusting Atoms. In U. Zilioli (Ed.), Atomism in Philosophy: A History from Antiquity to the Present (pp. 470-488). Bloomsbury. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781350107526
  • Aspects of the concept of potentiality in chemistry
    Hendry, R., & Needham, P. (2018). Aspects of the concept of potentiality in chemistry. In K. Engelhard & M. Quante (Eds.), Handbook of Potentiality. Springer Verlag.
  • Mechanisms and reduction in organic chemistry
    Hendry, R. (2017). Mechanisms and reduction in organic chemistry. In M. Massimi, J. Romeijn, & G. Schurz (Eds.), EPSA15 selected papers : the 5th conference of the European Philosophy of Science Association in Düsseldorf. (pp. 111-124). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53730-6_15
  • Prospects for strong emergence in chemistry
    Hendry, R. (2017). Prospects for strong emergence in chemistry. In F. Francesco Orilia & M. Paoletti (Eds.), Philosophical and scientific perspectives on downward causation. (pp. 146-163). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315638577-9
  • Natural kinds in chemistry
    Hendry, R. (2016). Natural kinds in chemistry. In G. Fisher & E. Scerri (Eds.), Essays in the Philosophy of Chemistry (pp. 253-276). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190494599.003.0019
  • Are chemical kinds natural kinds?
    Hendry, R. (2015). Are chemical kinds natural kinds? In U. Maki, I. Votsis, S. Ruphy, & G. Schurz (Eds.), Recent Developments in the Philosophy of Science: EPSA13 Helsinki (pp. 251-261). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23015-3
  • Three metaphysical issues in chemistry
    Hendry, R. (2013). Three metaphysical issues in chemistry. In J. Llored (Ed.), Philosophy of Chemistry: Practices, Methodologies, and Concepts (pp. 522-539). Cambridge Scholars’ Press.
  • Chemistry
    Hendry, R. (2013). Chemistry. In M. Curd & S. Psillos (Eds.), Routledge Companion to the Philosophy of Science (pp. 586-596). Routledge.
  • Kinetics, models and mechanism
    Hendry, R. (2013). Kinetics, models and mechanism. In U. Gähde, S. Hartmann, & J. Henning Wolf (Eds.), Models, Simulations, and the Reduction of Complexity (pp. 221-227). Berlin: De Gruyter.
  • Reduction, Emergence and Physicalism
    Hendry, R. (2011). Reduction, Emergence and Physicalism. In R. Hendry, P. Needham, & A. Woody (Eds.), Philosophy of Chemistry (Volume 6). Elsevier.
  • Elements
    Hendry, R. (2011). Elements. In R. Hendry, P. Needham, & A. Woody (Eds.), Philosophy of Chemistry (Volume 6). Elsevier.
  • Charles Coulson (1910-1974)
    Hendry, R. (2011). Charles Coulson (1910-1974). In R. Hendry, P. Needham, & A. Woody (Eds.), Philosophy of Chemistry (Volume 6). Elsevier.
  • Linus Pauling (1901-1994)
    Hendry, R. (2011). Linus Pauling (1901-1994). In R. Hendry, P. Needham, & A. Woody (Eds.), Philosophy of Chemistry (Volume 6). Elsevier.
  • Antoine Lavoisier (1743-1794)
    Hendry, R. (2011). Antoine Lavoisier (1743-1794). In R. Hendry, P. Needham, A. Woody, eBook I. 9780080930763, H. I. 9780444516756, I. N. Holland, & P. D. 1st N. 2011 (Eds.), Philosophy of Chemistry (Volume 6). Elsevier.
  • Chemical Bond
    Hendry, R. (2011). Chemical Bond. In R. Hendry, P. Needham, & A. Woody (Eds.), Philosophy of Chemistry (Volume 6). Elsevier.
  • ¿Hay causación descendente en química?
    Hendry, R. (2011). ¿Hay causación descendente en química? In D. Baird, E. Scerri, & L. McIntyre (Eds.), Filosofía de la química. Síntesis de una nueva disciplina. FONDO DE CULTURA ECONÓMICA (FCE).
  • Philosophy of Chemistry
    Hendry, R., Weisberg, M., & Needham, P. (2011). Philosophy of Chemistry. In E. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University.
  • Philosophy of chemistry
    Hendry, R. (2011). Philosophy of chemistry. In S. French & J. Saatsi (Eds.), The Continuum Companion to the Philosophy of Science (pp. 293-313). Bloomsbury Academic.
  • Chemistry: emergence vs. reduction
    Hendry, R. (2010). Chemistry: emergence vs. reduction. In C. Macdonald & G. Macdonald (Eds.), Emergence in Mind. Oxford University Press.
  • The elements and conceptual change
    Hendry, R. (2010). The elements and conceptual change. In H. Beebee & N. Sabbarton-Leary (Eds.), The Semantics and Metaphysics of Natural Kinds (pp. 137-158). Routledge.
  • The chemical bond: structure, energy and explanation
    Hendry, R. (2010). The chemical bond: structure, energy and explanation. In M. Dorato, M. Rèdei, & M. Suarez (Eds.), EPSA Philosophical Issues in the Sciences. (pp. 117-127). Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3252-2
  • Microstructuralism: Problems and Prospects
    Hendry, R. (2008). Microstructuralism: Problems and Prospects. In K. Ruthenberg & J. Brakel (Eds.), Stuff: The Nature of Chemical Substances. Königshausen und von Neumann.
  • Chemistry
    Hendry, R. (2008). Chemistry. In S. Psillos & M. Curd (Eds.), The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Science. Routledge.
  • How to do things with theories: an interactive view of language and models in science
    Hendry, R., & Psillos, S. (2007). How to do things with theories: an interactive view of language and models in science. In J. Brzeziński, A. Klawiter, T. Kuipers, K. Łastowski, K. Paprzycka, & P. Przybysz (Eds.), The Courage of Doing Philosophy. Rodopi.
  • ‘Is there downward causation in chemistry?’
    Hendry, R. (2006). ‘Is there downward causation in chemistry?’. In D. Baird, E. Scerri, & L. McIntyre (Eds.), Philosophy of chemistry : synthesis of a new discipline. (pp. 173-189). Springer Verlag.
  • Filosofia della chimica
    Hendry, R. (2003). Filosofia della chimica. In N. Vassallo (Ed.), Filosofie delle Scienze. Einaudi.
  • Mathematics, Representation and Molecular Structure
    Hendry, R. (2001). Mathematics, Representation and Molecular Structure. In Tools and Modes of Representation in the Laboratory Sciences. Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9737-1
  • Theories and models: the interactive view
    Hendry, R. (1999). Theories and models: the interactive view. In Visual representations and interpretations. (pp. 121-130). Springer-Verlag.
  • Models and approximations in quantum chemistry.
    Hendry, R. (1998). Models and approximations in quantum chemistry. In Idealization in contemporary physics: Poznan studies in the philosophy of the sciences and the humanities. (pp. 123-142). Rodopi.
  • Realism and progress: why scientists should be realists.
    Hendry, R. (1995). Realism and progress: why scientists should be realists. In Philosophy and technology: Royal Institute of Philosophy supplement. (pp. 53-72). Cambridge University Press.

Conference Paper

  • Chemistry and the completeness of physics
    Hendry, R. F. (2003). Chemistry and the completeness of physics. In A. Rojszczak, J. Cachro, & G. Kurczewski (Eds.), Philosophical Dimensions of Logic and Science. Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2612-2_13

Edited book

Journal Article

Supervision students

Safia Bano