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Playing with Molecular ModelsKeywords: philosophy of chemistry , molecular models , play , transitional object , toys , tinkering Abstract: 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.
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