Boltzmann's [[kinetic theory of gases]] seemed to presuppose the reality of [[atom]]s and [[molecule]]s, but almost all [[German philosophy|German philosophers]] and many scientists like [[Ernst Mach]] and the physical chemist [[Wilhelm Ostwald]] disbelieved their existence.<ref>{{cite book | last=Bronowski | first=Jacob | authorlink=Jacob Bronowski | title=The Ascent Of Man | chapter=World Within World | publisher=Little Brown & Co | year=1974 | isbn=978-0-316-10930-7 | page=265 | chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/ascentofmanbron00bron }}</ref> During the 1890s, Boltzmann attempted to formulate a compromise position which would allow both atomists and anti-atomists to do physics without arguing over atoms. His solution was to use [[Heinrich Hertz|Hertz]]'s theory that atoms were ''Bilder'', that is, models or pictures. Atomists could think the pictures were the real atoms while the anti-atomists could think of the pictures as representing a useful but unreal model, but this did not fully satisfy either group. Furthermore, Ostwald and many defenders of "pure thermodynamics" were trying hard to refute the kinetic theory of gases and statistical mechanics because of Boltzmann's assumptions about atoms and molecules and especially statistical interpretation of the [[second law of thermodynamics]]. | Boltzmann's [[kinetic theory of gases]] seemed to presuppose the reality of [[atom]]s and [[molecule]]s, but almost all [[German philosophy|German philosophers]] and many scientists like [[Ernst Mach]] and the physical chemist [[Wilhelm Ostwald]] disbelieved their existence.<ref>{{cite book | last=Bronowski | first=Jacob | authorlink=Jacob Bronowski | title=The Ascent Of Man | chapter=World Within World | publisher=Little Brown & Co | year=1974 | isbn=978-0-316-10930-7 | page=265 | chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/ascentofmanbron00bron }}</ref> During the 1890s, Boltzmann attempted to formulate a compromise position which would allow both atomists and anti-atomists to do physics without arguing over atoms. His solution was to use [[Heinrich Hertz|Hertz]]'s theory that atoms were ''Bilder'', that is, models or pictures. Atomists could think the pictures were the real atoms while the anti-atomists could think of the pictures as representing a useful but unreal model, but this did not fully satisfy either group. Furthermore, Ostwald and many defenders of "pure thermodynamics" were trying hard to refute the kinetic theory of gases and statistical mechanics because of Boltzmann's assumptions about atoms and molecules and especially statistical interpretation of the [[second law of thermodynamics]]. |