Rafael wrote:
NephyrS wrote:
Rafael wrote:
I'm speaking in terms of chemistry and physics, not pharmacology and biochemistry.
That is the weirdest statement I've ever heard.
How can you be speaking in terms of one, but not the other?
Biochemistry is just the direct application of basic chemical principles to biological systems, and pharmacology is the direct study of the effects of chemicals on biological systems.
Your statement makes no sense.
It makes perfect sense in the hierarchy of knowledges:
Basic Axioms of Logic -> Math -> Physics -> Chemistry etc.
In chemistry, I can look at things without a concern of the biochemical ramifications because chemistry itself doesn't concern itself with those matters. It can be used to concern itself with those matters but that is not the same thing. You wouldn't say Math answers questions about biochemical matters, yet it is most certainly used in such matters.
If you specify Chemistry, you are specifying the general field, which as such, has no direct ramifications on nutrition.
If you specify Chemistry in the context of nutrition, then you are by nature specifying the subfields of biochemistry and pharmacology.
Saying you are talking about the chemistry of the body (see your first post) is the same as saying you are talking about Biochemistry. That is why biochemistry is considered a chemistry degree at most institutions, and any organic chemist or inorganic or physical chemist that does work relating to biological processes has "bio" appended to their field- bioorganic, bioinorganic, biophysical.
And if you use math in the discussion of biological systems, say nutrition, then you are discussing biological mathematics- as many of the biomath research programs do.
So basically, if you say we are simply made of chemicals and chemical reactions, you are definitely discussing biochemistry- the application of chemistry to biological systems.
Rafael wrote:
There is no differentiation between chemical systems based on organic or biological chemistry hierarchical organizations because chemistry doesn't deal with those organizations. If it did, there would be no need for organic chemistry or biochemistry because they would simply be chemistry.
And that, right there, is my point. Chemistry is Chemistry- you can't say talking about biochemistry or pharmacology is not talking about chemistry.
And basically, chemistry is chemistry. You don't get a PhD in organic chemistry, you get it in chemistry. Ditto with a BS.