AN EXAMINATION OF THE MEANS USED IN DEFINING AND EXPRESSING THE CONCENTRATIONS OF THE MOLAR AND NORMAL SOLUTIONS

For many years three philosophical perspectives - stipulation, operati onalism and nominalism - have been used to provide the fundamental bas es for the concentration definitions used for the description of the s olutions used in chemistry. Each of the three perspectives in certain situations, and to the exclusion of the others, has been the intellect ual tool of choice. The molar and normal solutions are discussed in te rms of the history, the meaning and the applications of these philosop hical perspectives.