Summa perfectionis magisterii has been attributed. Jabir, who was in Europe
renamed in Geber, has not been the author of this work. Behind the name Geber
was the Franciscan Paul of Taranto from 13th century (i.e., Pseudo-Geber). The
Monistic idea about the general unity, and that all is known from ever is present in
Tabula Smaragdina, but its origin remains elusive. Continuous linkage with the
common divine wisdom, which successively appeared in Orphism, Hermeticism,
Pitagorean philosophy, Zoroastrism, and Christianity has been synthetized in the
proto-theology, which the renaissance thinkers Georgio Gemisto Pletone (1355–
1452), and Marsilio Ficino (1433–1499) have named prisca theologia [4]. (Ficino,
1999). Within this learning, since everything is known from ever, an authorship is
quite unimportant. This is probably the reason that the real authors and declared
authors were different. Declared authors of these works, which were in principle the
names of famous thinkers, have warranted their importance. Probably this has
motivated Paul of Taranto to publish his books under the name Geber.
Although Jabir did not played particular role in chemistry, his scripts about the
theory of science were important contribution. Jabir has classified sciences in two
categories: higher sciences and lower sciences. In the higher “rational” sciences,
which Jabir calls also the sciences for “hereafter”, belong Aristotelian physics,
astronomy, arithmetic, geometry and metaphysic. However, alchemy and medicine
were classified as lower, earthly sciences. Already in this classification have
appeared the contours of the future structure of the philosophy of science developed
in the Vienne Circle in which chemistry was not classified as the proper science.
Immanuel Kant, who analogously categorized chemistry in skill rather than in
science could find Jabir as his predecessor!
Alexandrian protochemistry and alchemy differ in two aspects. While the scope
of protochemistry was philosophy in the first place, alchemy was more practical, its
scope has been medication: if it is possible to use practical procedures for the
perfection of metals, than the similar procedures could be applied for the perfection
of the life itself to attain absolute health, or, probably immortality. The concept of
the protochemical philosophical gold has been transformed in the alchemical “stone
of wisdom” (LAPIS PHILOSOPHORUM) and elixir (al-ixir), the esoteric substance that can be used not only from obtaining health, but also for transmutation of
metals to gold.
Second difference between protochemistry and alchemy was conceptual. Behind
the four Empedocle’s elements, alchemists have added three additional principles:
salt, sulphur, and mercury. Salt is the principle of persistence, sulphur is the
principle of flammability, and mercury of fluidity. This alchemical axiomatics that is
composed from four elements and three principles has arisen as a long-standing
base of European alchemy.
Although the method of Arabian alchemy was in principle esoteric, in works of
some alchemists we can find the roots of the future scientific chemistry. In this line,
the especially important personality was Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariyya
al-Razi (nearly 865–925), the alchemist who has replaced esoterism with the
experimental science focused on the investigations of the nature. In his works, The
Secret (Al-Asrar), and Secret over Secrets (Sirr al-Asrar) al-Razi has developed the
42
4 Alchemy
renamed in Geber, has not been the author of this work. Behind the name Geber
was the Franciscan Paul of Taranto from 13th century (i.e., Pseudo-Geber). The
Monistic idea about the general unity, and that all is known from ever is present in
Tabula Smaragdina, but its origin remains elusive. Continuous linkage with the
common divine wisdom, which successively appeared in Orphism, Hermeticism,
Pitagorean philosophy, Zoroastrism, and Christianity has been synthetized in the
proto-theology, which the renaissance thinkers Georgio Gemisto Pletone (1355–
1452), and Marsilio Ficino (1433–1499) have named prisca theologia [4]. (Ficino,
1999). Within this learning, since everything is known from ever, an authorship is
quite unimportant. This is probably the reason that the real authors and declared
authors were different. Declared authors of these works, which were in principle the
names of famous thinkers, have warranted their importance. Probably this has
motivated Paul of Taranto to publish his books under the name Geber.
Although Jabir did not played particular role in chemistry, his scripts about the
theory of science were important contribution. Jabir has classified sciences in two
categories: higher sciences and lower sciences. In the higher “rational” sciences,
which Jabir calls also the sciences for “hereafter”, belong Aristotelian physics,
astronomy, arithmetic, geometry and metaphysic. However, alchemy and medicine
were classified as lower, earthly sciences. Already in this classification have
appeared the contours of the future structure of the philosophy of science developed
in the Vienne Circle in which chemistry was not classified as the proper science.
Immanuel Kant, who analogously categorized chemistry in skill rather than in
science could find Jabir as his predecessor!
Alexandrian protochemistry and alchemy differ in two aspects. While the scope
of protochemistry was philosophy in the first place, alchemy was more practical, its
scope has been medication: if it is possible to use practical procedures for the
perfection of metals, than the similar procedures could be applied for the perfection
of the life itself to attain absolute health, or, probably immortality. The concept of
the protochemical philosophical gold has been transformed in the alchemical “stone
of wisdom” (LAPIS PHILOSOPHORUM) and elixir (al-ixir), the esoteric substance that can be used not only from obtaining health, but also for transmutation of
metals to gold.
Second difference between protochemistry and alchemy was conceptual. Behind
the four Empedocle’s elements, alchemists have added three additional principles:
salt, sulphur, and mercury. Salt is the principle of persistence, sulphur is the
principle of flammability, and mercury of fluidity. This alchemical axiomatics that is
composed from four elements and three principles has arisen as a long-standing
base of European alchemy.
Although the method of Arabian alchemy was in principle esoteric, in works of
some alchemists we can find the roots of the future scientific chemistry. In this line,
the especially important personality was Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariyya
al-Razi (nearly 865–925), the alchemist who has replaced esoterism with the
experimental science focused on the investigations of the nature. In his works, The
Secret (Al-Asrar), and Secret over Secrets (Sirr al-Asrar) al-Razi has developed the
42
4 Alchemy