Wilhelm Ostwald at the crossroads between chemistry, philosophy and media culture

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This volume gathers contributions from the workshop 'William Ostwald at the Crossroads of Chemistry, Philosophy, and Media Culture,' held in Leipzig in November 2004. The aim was to create a comprehensive picture of Ostwald's diverse intellectual pursuits. A Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry in 1909, Ostwald taught at the University of Leipzig around the turn of the 19th to 20th century and engaged with a wide range of scientific fields, including natural philosophy and his concept of 'energetics.' Each contribution, despite differing starting points, methodologies, and perspectives, reflects Ostwald's theoretical engagement with science. For example, Danuta Sobczynska and Eva Czerwinska overview his role in the German Monistic League, while Nikos Psarros discusses how Ostwald defined a chemical 'species' within an anti-atomist framework. Matthias Neuber notes that even those sharing philosophical assumptions do not form a cohesive research group. Britta Görs highlights Ostwald's dual identity as an anti-atomist theorist and atomist practitioner. The papers by Rein Vihalemm, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi, Bernadette Bensaude-Vincent, Anne-Claire Dére, Thomas Hapke, and Paul Ziche illustrate his multifaceted efforts to redefine science. The diverse issues Ostwald tackled make him a key figure for understanding science's position around 1900 and its broader context. Each contribution addresses specific questions, fostering cross-references th