WILHELM OSTWALD PARA ALÉM DO ANTIATOMISMO

The Baltic German chemist Wilhelm Ostwald (1853-1932) had his scientific prestige eclipsed in the history of chemistry due to his rejection to atomic theory, which suggests the permanence of the whig interpretation on history of chemistry in the narratives about him. In this paper, we intend to present elements on Ostwald’s biography far from his role in the atomic controversy from the 19th century, as for example his efforts for the popularization of physical chemistry; his role as a teacher and a textbook writer, and his role as a chemical researcher, being responsible for relevant studies on chemical affinity and catalysis, for example. Finally, we conclude this paper defending that Ostwald’s trajectory cannot be neglected for those interested in history of science.