OSTWALD, Esquisse d'une Philosophie des Sciences, 1911

First edition in french.
Wilhelm Ostwald (1853-1932) was a German chemist and philosopher, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1909 for his work on catalysis and the study of chemical equilibria and reaction rates. He was one of the major figures in physical chemistry and a fervent defender of energism, a theory that reduced all phenomena to energy transformations. As a professor at the University of Leipzig, he exerted considerable influence. This work, "Outline of a Philosophy of Science," translated from German by M. Dorolle (Associate Professor of Philosophy), demonstrates his interest in the epistemological foundations of science. In it, he sets out his vision of science, its method, and its philosophical scope, marking an important current of thought at the beginning of the 20th century, a period of profound scientific and philosophical upheaval.