the perception of the change of colour—the sense datum that is not possible to
analyse mathematically. Indeed, colours as basic manifestations of features became
in the focus of interest in protochemistry. The transfer of colour from one shapeless
matter to another can not be performed arbitrary, but rather by respecting the strong
order and procedure. In antiquity, the colours were ordered hierarchically: from
black, to white, to yellow, and to the perfect purple. Comarius (1st century), one of
the earliest protochemists, describe blacking, whitening, yellowing, and reading as
a basic steps in the performance of the Great Work (OPUS MAGNUM). This
procedure has appeared as the central method of ancient chemists. None of these
steps cannot be skipped! Since the black colour is a representation of the primary
matter, the procedure should always begin with blacking.
The initial version of the idea about levels of complexity, which was proposed in
first lecture in this book, has appeared as the four levels in the practical realization
of the procedure of OPUS MAGNUM. The occurrences on the higher level are not
possible and not completely determined exclusively on the basis of the structure of
the lower level. (as, for the instance the biological event cannot be derived
exclusively from chemical phenomena and laws). As we have seen, Marsilio Ficino
made the further step in the development of the mataphysics of levels of complexity
in the time of Renaissance. Let us live this discussion to the lectures later in this
book. At the moment, it is enough to show that the systematization of features has
anticipated the systematization and classification of substances. Protochemical experiment is an invention, the design of the method by which it would be possible to
manipulate with the elusive senses of colour, heat, humidity, solubility, or taste, and
which had a hidden goal to test the Platonian and Aristotelian metaphysics by
deductive experimental methods. If Karl Popper would use chemistry as origin for
his philosophy, he would find excellent examples for the concept of the testability
as a main characteristic of a serious (proto)science.
For protochemists it was necessary to find the relationship of abstract ideas such
as four elements, logos, or primary matter with the real substances, metals, minerals, liquids, the substances that origin from living beings. Mental constructions
ought to be closely related with practical manipulation with substances. Devices
invented for such a practice were a sort of “mutated” craftsmen tools, and the
processes that have been performed on the controlled way were from their practical
goals transformed into the methods of representations of the abstract metaphysical
concepts. Such a way, gold has changed its function from decorative to philosophical, and it became the substance that is, because of its perfection, the closest to
the perfect materia i.e. to the origin of everything visible and perceptible. Producers
of philosophical gold, the aurifactors, became therefore the first chemists with
whom the long way to the science called chemistry had begun. The etymology of
the word chemistry is still under discussion. Some origins of this term are known:
the word kheme, khem or khmi—that means black earth or Egypt in the old
Egyptian language, or chyma, as old Greeks call the melt, or kiem in Chinese in
meaning gold. The most convincing is the word vηleia (chemeia), which had been
found in the works of Plutarch (46–120), what is the name for the ancient skill of
the preparation of precious metals and manipulation with substances [1].
3 Synthesis of Philosophy and Technology
33
analyse mathematically. Indeed, colours as basic manifestations of features became
in the focus of interest in protochemistry. The transfer of colour from one shapeless
matter to another can not be performed arbitrary, but rather by respecting the strong
order and procedure. In antiquity, the colours were ordered hierarchically: from
black, to white, to yellow, and to the perfect purple. Comarius (1st century), one of
the earliest protochemists, describe blacking, whitening, yellowing, and reading as
a basic steps in the performance of the Great Work (OPUS MAGNUM). This
procedure has appeared as the central method of ancient chemists. None of these
steps cannot be skipped! Since the black colour is a representation of the primary
matter, the procedure should always begin with blacking.
The initial version of the idea about levels of complexity, which was proposed in
first lecture in this book, has appeared as the four levels in the practical realization
of the procedure of OPUS MAGNUM. The occurrences on the higher level are not
possible and not completely determined exclusively on the basis of the structure of
the lower level. (as, for the instance the biological event cannot be derived
exclusively from chemical phenomena and laws). As we have seen, Marsilio Ficino
made the further step in the development of the mataphysics of levels of complexity
in the time of Renaissance. Let us live this discussion to the lectures later in this
book. At the moment, it is enough to show that the systematization of features has
anticipated the systematization and classification of substances. Protochemical experiment is an invention, the design of the method by which it would be possible to
manipulate with the elusive senses of colour, heat, humidity, solubility, or taste, and
which had a hidden goal to test the Platonian and Aristotelian metaphysics by
deductive experimental methods. If Karl Popper would use chemistry as origin for
his philosophy, he would find excellent examples for the concept of the testability
as a main characteristic of a serious (proto)science.
For protochemists it was necessary to find the relationship of abstract ideas such
as four elements, logos, or primary matter with the real substances, metals, minerals, liquids, the substances that origin from living beings. Mental constructions
ought to be closely related with practical manipulation with substances. Devices
invented for such a practice were a sort of “mutated” craftsmen tools, and the
processes that have been performed on the controlled way were from their practical
goals transformed into the methods of representations of the abstract metaphysical
concepts. Such a way, gold has changed its function from decorative to philosophical, and it became the substance that is, because of its perfection, the closest to
the perfect materia i.e. to the origin of everything visible and perceptible. Producers
of philosophical gold, the aurifactors, became therefore the first chemists with
whom the long way to the science called chemistry had begun. The etymology of
the word chemistry is still under discussion. Some origins of this term are known:
the word kheme, khem or khmi—that means black earth or Egypt in the old
Egyptian language, or chyma, as old Greeks call the melt, or kiem in Chinese in
meaning gold. The most convincing is the word vηleia (chemeia), which had been
found in the works of Plutarch (46–120), what is the name for the ancient skill of
the preparation of precious metals and manipulation with substances [1].
3 Synthesis of Philosophy and Technology
33