Atomism and positivism: A legend about French chemistry

The strong opposition of nineteenth-century French chemists to atomism is u sually described as a national attitude due to the overarching influence of positivism in France. The explanation sounds plausible, at first glance. H owever, the idea that a philosophy of science acted as an obstacle to the a dvancement of science needs further investigation. What is meant exactly by a philosophical influence on a scientific community? In analysing the alle ged influence of positivism on the chemists' community it is argued that th e common connection established between philosophical views and scientific attitudes leads to a misunderstanding of both philosophy and scientific act ivity. This paper first stresses the misreading of Auguste Comte's works; t hen the misunderstanding of scientific debates about atomism in chemistry. Finally it suggests an alternative view: that the atomic debates generated a variety of positivisms.