ABSTRACT
Duhem devoted a large segment of his life to the study and teaching of theoretical physics; much of that time was spent in an attempt to construct a general energetics designed to include both classical mechanics and abstract thermodynamics. Here he used purely axio matic methods, rigorously objecting to the use of concrete and me chanical models in general energetics. This effort at axiomatization and consistent deduction is characteristic not only of his first work in the area, Commentaires sur la thermodynamique, but also of his main work Traité d énergétique générale. Duhem made some original con tributions to other branches of physics and chemistry, also; his work in the realm of the propagation of waves of impact in fluids, for example, is of lasting value. His opposition to mechanical models prevented his understanding of the importance of Lorentz’ theory of electrons and atomic physics in general.
