4
Alchemy
Whosoever has made me white also makes me red. Both white
and red spring from a single root.
Arnold of Villanova
Abstract
Here I argue how alchemy has its origins in proto-chemistry, and which new
developments in this period of chemical philosophy gradually led to the
development of chemistry as science. Philosophical aspects of Alexandrian
proto-chemistry were transformed into more practical aspects of (al)chemistry:
their use in medical practice. The concept about four elements taken from the
classical philosophy has been extended with the three new principles, and with
new abstract concepts that are in the core of modern science. It is explained how
alchemy with all its basic principles was transferred to Europe. Problem of
authorship of scientific and philosophical works in that time and later in Western
culture is also discussed.
Keywords
Alchemy Á Arabian alchemy Á Principles of salt Á Mercury and sulfur Á Hermes
Trismegistos Á Esoterism Á Exsoterism Á Subject-object problem Á Iatrochemistry
Taking into account the fact that the collection of sources and works about alchemy
is almost immeasurable, I am conscious, ladies and gentlemen, my colleagues,
about the risk to which I am exposed by talking about the theme that is imposed as
unavoidable. The word chemistry or chemea, or chema receives in Arabian language the grammatical article: thus al-chemy. As we can conclude from previous
lectures, this word was erroneously used to name the first ancient chemistry, even
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
H. Vančik, Philosophy of Chemistry, Integrated Science 2,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69224-7_4
39
Alchemy
Whosoever has made me white also makes me red. Both white
and red spring from a single root.
Arnold of Villanova
Abstract
Here I argue how alchemy has its origins in proto-chemistry, and which new
developments in this period of chemical philosophy gradually led to the
development of chemistry as science. Philosophical aspects of Alexandrian
proto-chemistry were transformed into more practical aspects of (al)chemistry:
their use in medical practice. The concept about four elements taken from the
classical philosophy has been extended with the three new principles, and with
new abstract concepts that are in the core of modern science. It is explained how
alchemy with all its basic principles was transferred to Europe. Problem of
authorship of scientific and philosophical works in that time and later in Western
culture is also discussed.
Keywords
Alchemy Á Arabian alchemy Á Principles of salt Á Mercury and sulfur Á Hermes
Trismegistos Á Esoterism Á Exsoterism Á Subject-object problem Á Iatrochemistry
Taking into account the fact that the collection of sources and works about alchemy
is almost immeasurable, I am conscious, ladies and gentlemen, my colleagues,
about the risk to which I am exposed by talking about the theme that is imposed as
unavoidable. The word chemistry or chemea, or chema receives in Arabian language the grammatical article: thus al-chemy. As we can conclude from previous
lectures, this word was erroneously used to name the first ancient chemistry, even
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
H. Vančik, Philosophy of Chemistry, Integrated Science 2,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69224-7_4
39