Throughline: Possibility in the natural world is understood through interactions, hidden relations, and emergent patterns.
Following the formalisation of Newtonian mechanics, the focus of scientific construal shifted to the microcosm of matter. Chemists such as Lavoisier, Dalton, and Berzelius developed systematic frameworks for understanding elements, compounds, and reactions, revealing the relational structures that govern material potential. Possibility here is mediated through relations among entities: an element’s behavior is intelligible only within the network of possible interactions and transformations it can undergo.
Lavoisier’s careful measurement and conservation principles re-cut chemical possibility as constrained and predictable, yet emergent in relational complexity. Dalton’s atomic theory further abstracted matter into discrete units, each with potential interactions constrained by chemical laws. Berzelius’ chemical notation and systematic classification extended the field, allowing relational possibilities to be conceptually visualised, manipulated, and communicated.
Modulatory voices:
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Lavoisier: conservation of mass as a relational constraint on chemical potential.
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Dalton: atomic theory as a formalisation of combinatorial possibilities.
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Berzelius: systematic notation enabling relational visualisation of potential reactions.
In this phase, possibility is hidden yet accessible: the behaviours of substances are not immediately observable, but can be inferred, structured, and predicted through relational systems. Construal moves from direct observation to model-mediated understanding, where actualisation of potential is contingent upon both material laws and the conceptual frameworks used to describe them.
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