Constructing Naturalness in Industrial Settings: A Transdisciplinary Exploration.

Abstract

The concept of naturalness has been a cornerstone in scientific research, philosophical debates, and cultural narratives. Industrial settings, often considered as antagonistic to nature, pose a particularly interesting site for investigating the construction of naturalness. This special issue explores the multifaceted nature(s) of naturalness through transdisciplinary perspectives, including analytical chemistry, the history of science, cultural studies, and the philosophy of chemistry. We discuss how the naturalness of industrially manufactured products is constructed, contested, and utilised in different domains by examining historical developments, consumer expectations, and technological advancements. Examining various case studies, the authors show how processes of naturalisation are connected to normalisation, optimisation, and imitation and how the understanding of naturalness affects human physiology and social interaction.