%0 Journal Article
%T Playing with Molecular Models
%A Pierre Laszlo
%J Hyle : International Journal for Philosophy of Chemistry
%D 2000
%I HYLE Publications, Karlsruhe and University of Karlsruhe
%X Any serious study of the uses of molecular models in chemistry has to mention play as an essential component. A research chemist will use them not unlike a young child playing with a toy: exploring their features, trying out their resilience, probing their innards, tinkering, day-dreaming, and thus finding out new avenues of adventures of the mind and in the laboratory. Reasons for such an assimilation of a molecular model to a toy are given and assessed critically.
%K philosophy of chemistry
%K molecular models
%K play
%K transitional object
%K toys
%K tinkering
%U http://www.hyle.org/journal/issues/6/laszlo.pdf