This essay critically considers the issue of natural kind essentialism. More specifically, the essay critically probes the philosophical use of chemical examples to support realism about natural kinds. My simple contention is that the natural kind debate can be understood in terms of two different cultures of academic production. These two cultures will be conceptualized using Thomas Kasulis’s distinction between intimacy and integrity as cultural orientations. Acknowledging Kasulis’s contention that, “What is foreground in one culture may be background in another”, it may very well be the case that philosophers writing about chemistry place chemical practice in the background, thereby adopting the orientation of integrity. Chemists and philosophers of chemistry, on the other hand, place chemical practice at the foreground of their work, thereby adopting the orientation of intimacy. Because the intimacy orientation is grounded in chemical practice, it is preferable to the integrity orientation. Understanding the natural kinds debate from this perspective highlights the fact that the misuse of chemical examples by certain philosophers is informed by an orientation of detachment from actual chemical practice. This underscores the importance of an intimate understanding of chemical practice when deploying chemical examples in the context of philosophical discussions about ontology and metaphysics.

中文翻译：

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哲学、自然种类、微观结构主义和化学例子的（错误）使用：亲密与完整性作为化学实践的方向

本文批判性地考虑了自然种类本质主义的问题。更具体地说，这篇文章批判性地探讨了化学例子的哲学用途，以支持关于自然种类的现实主义。我的简单论点是，可以从两种不同的学术生产文化来理解自然种类的争论。这两种文化将使用托马斯·卡苏利斯 (Thomas Kasulis) 作为文化取向的亲密与正直之间的区别来概念化。承认 Kasulis 的论点，即“一种文化的前景可能是另一种文化的背景”，很可能是这样的，哲学家写关于化学的文章将化学实践置于背景中，从而采用完整性取向。另一方面，化学家和化学哲学家将化学实践放在他们工作的前沿，从而采取亲密的取向。因为亲密取向是以化学实践为基础的，所以它比完整性取向更可取。从这个角度理解自然种类的争论突出了这样一个事实，即某些哲学家对化学例子的滥用是由脱离实际化学实践的方向所决定的。这强调了在有关本体论和形而上学的哲学讨论中部署化学实例时，深入了解化学实践的重要性。从这个角度理解自然种类的争论突出了这样一个事实，即某些哲学家对化学例子的滥用是由脱离实际化学实践的方向所决定的。这强调了在有关本体论和形而上学的哲学讨论中部署化学实例时，深入了解化学实践的重要性。从这个角度理解自然种类的争论突出了这样一个事实，即某些哲学家对化学例子的滥用是由脱离实际化学实践的方向所决定的。这强调了在有关本体论和形而上学的哲学讨论中部署化学实例时，深入了解化学实践的重要性。