Alchemy and the Secrets of the Philosopher's StoneThe word Alchemy comes from the Arabic al-kimia and refers to an early form of science which involves the investigation of nature and an early philosophical and spiritual discipline.
Alchemy combines chemistry, metallurgy, physics, medicine, astrology, semiotics, mysticism and spiritualism in a search for knowledge. It has been practised for at least 2500 years in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia, India, Japan and China, Classical Greece and in Europe up to the 19th century.
The most famous goal of Alchemy is the transmutation of common metals into Gold or Silver. The concept of being able to turn metals into gold attracted the attention of many who saw the legend as a chance to make a fortune. Other famous goals include the elixir of life and the universal solvent.
The now famous Philosopher Stone (Lapis Philosophorum) was believed to be a substance that was an essential ingredient of the other three goals. The Philosopher's Stone was believed to mystically amplify the user's knowledge of alchemy so much that anything was attainable.
There are many descriptions of the appearance of the stone. The most well-known is a red stone but it was also referred to as an orange stone. When the stone is in its solid form it often appears as a transparent and glass-like object in the shape of an egg. However many sources believe the Philosopher's Stone may not have even been a stone at all.
One name you cannot miss when discussing the philosopher's stone is Nicolas Flamel. Flamel was a French scribe and manuscript seller who lived in Paris during the 14th and 15th centuries and, in 1382, claimed to have transformed lead into gold after decoding an ancient book of alchemy. We most likely will never know if this was true, however, historical records show that Flamel did come into considerable wealth around the time he made his claim and donated all of his riches to charity.
Alchemists have enjoyed prestige and support through the centuries, though it was not for their pursuit of those goals, nor the mystic and philosophical speculation that dominates their literature. It was for their contributions to the "chemical" industries and inventions - gunpowder, ore testing and refining, metalworking, production of ink, dyes, paints, cosmetics, leather tanning, ceramics, glass manufacture, preparation of extracts, liquors, and so on
Most alchemical works were written using cryptic alchemical symbols, diagrams, and textual imagery with multiple layers of meanings, allegories, and references to other equally cryptic works; and must be laboriously "decoded" to discover their true meaning. It is this level of secrecy that leads to the almost occult status of alchemists.
Isaac Newton's Occult Studies
Isaac Newton (1643 - 1727), the noted British scientist and mathematician, was noted for his interest in Alchemy his writings describe how he sought the discovery of the Philosopher Stone and the Elixir of Life, although there is no evidence to suggest he was successful in either attempt.
Transmutation of one element to another
Most people will tell you that one element cannot be transformed into another element, e.g. lead into gold, which is impossible. In 1919, Ernest Rutherford used artificial disintegration to convert nitrogen into oxygen using radioactive material. Surely this indicates that it may be possible to convert other elements?
In more recent times, it has been discovered that lead can be turned into gold. Not through alchemy, and only in insignificant amounts. Nuclear transmutation involves the use of a particle accelerator to change one element into another. Particle accelerators force two different types of radioactive decay, which involves nuclear reactions that can transform one element into another.
Historical Research
The history of alchemy has become a vigorous academic field. As the obscure hermetic language of the alchemists is gradually being "deciphered", historians are becoming more aware of the intellectual connections between that discipline and other facets of Western cultural history, such as the sociology and psychology of the intellectual communities, kabbalism, spiritualism, Rosicrucianism, and other mystic movements, cryptography, witchcraft, and the evolution of science and philosophy.
