Alchemy Alchemy For other uses see disambiguation.
Alchemy is an early protoscientific practice combining elements of chemistry physics astrology art semiotics metallurgy medicine and mysticism These practices were usually used outside of what is now known as the scientific method however alchemy can be regarded as the precursor of the modern science of chemistry prior to the formulation of the scientific method.
The most well known goal of alchemy was the transmutation of any metal into either gold or silver Alchemists also tried to create a Panacea a remedy that supposedly would cure all diseases and prolong life indefinitely The Philosopher's stone was believed to be an essential ingredient in these goals This mythical substance was hypothesized to have the ability to do both A third goal of many alchemists was creating human life.
Over time the goals of alchemy were totally reinterpreted by many readers of the subject Many readers came to believe that these goals of alchemy were really metaphors for a spiritual transformation of the self They then wrote manuals that reinterpreted alchemy as a spiritual practice For this reason many alchemy manuals describe the Philosopher's Stone as a gift that every man potentially has unto himself the Transmutation as the process that transform the alchemist by studying sciences and the Panacea as the true meaning of love and science These writers felt that when reading a book on alchemy the reader must read over the words to figure out the way to follow decoding the secret text to discover its true meaning This approach remains common to adherents of Kabbalah Jewish mysticism who often employ gematria and notariqon to expand their understanding of their religious texts especially the Torah.
Etymology
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The word alchemy comes from the Arabic al k miya or al kh miya or which is probably formed from the article al and the Greek word chumeia meaning cast together pour together weld alloy etc from khumatos that which is poured out an ingot.
Some believe that the Arabic word al k miya means the Egyptian science borrowing the Coptic word k me or from the mediaeval Bohairic dialect of Coptic which wrote the word kh me meaning Egypt The Coptic word derives from Demotic km itself from ancient Egyptian kmt The ancient Egyptian word referred to both the country and the colour black Egypt was the Black land by contrast with the Red land the surrounding desert so it is thought that such a borrowing in Arabic was appropriate for Egyptian black arts However a decree of Diocletian written about CE in Greek speaks against the ancient writings of the Egyptians which treat of the kh mia transmutation of gold and silver The Arabic therefore could derive from a purely Greek word not Coptic and have been later connected with ancient Egypt through what linguists term a folk etymology.
Overview
The alchemist by Sir William Fettes Douglas
The common perception of alchemists is that they were pseudo scientists who attempted to turn lead into gold believed all existence was composed of the four elements of earth air fire and water which they saw as similar in concept to the 'phase states' of modern chemistry rather than types of atoms as modern science uses the word 'element '.
They were attempting to explore and investigate nature before the basic scientific tools and practices were available relying instead on rules of thumb traditions basic observations and mysticism to fill in the gaps Alchemists were often involved in mysticism and magic.
To the alchemist there was no compelling reason to separate the chemical material dimension from the interpretive symbolic or philosophical one In those times a physics devoid of metaphysical insight would have been as partial and incomplete as a metaphysics devoid of physical manifestation.