Week One – Alchemists
One of the most important characters – albeit one of the most static – in The Book Without Words is Master Thorston, the alchemist. Many questions come to mind.
- What were alchemists?
- Who were alchemists?
- What did they do?
- Did modern day chemistry really come from their efforts?
Here’s what you have to do for this disucssion:
- Using the links below, research alchemists that are well known.
- Post your findings here. Who did you find out about? What is your person known for?
Resource Links for this discussion –
The alchemist i choose was Zosimus. Just because his name soundes cool. He lived in Panopolis Egypt around 250 A.D. No one knows when he died. He has saved Greek-Egyptian writings which is why he is well known. He composed an encyclopedia of 28 tomes which has much of what is today known about mummification and ancient mathematics. Thanks to him we now know of the four elements, fire, water, air and earth. 😀
Paracelsus (1493 – 1541)
Full Name:Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim
Paracelsus was a alchemists born on 11 /10/1493 in Einsiedeln, Switzerland . He is known for strongly beliving in spiritual alchemy. That is the use of alchemy to cure disease. Most alchemist used alchemy to transmute metals. Paracelsus invented the word alcohol and a diffrent form of alchemy called spagyric alchemy. Spagyric alchemy is the use osf alchemy to make madicine out of herbs. Paracelsus died on 9/24/1541.
Geber full name: Abu Musa Jabir Ibn Hayyan ca. 721 – 815 AD
Geber, was an Arabian alchemist who lived in what we now know as Iraq.
He distilled strong acetic acid from vinegar and believed that metals are made up of mercury and sulfur invarying proportions. He also popularised the idea of the Philosopher’s Stone which would combine the mercury and sulfur to make gold.
Geber is responsible for giving us the word ‘gibberish’, gotten from his name.
Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton- Not the first Alchemist of the day but surely a notable one was fascinated with the making of gold. This was surely the same fascination that led to his findings with light and gravity. He is known most famously for his principles: Newton’s Laws of gravity. Which have been widely published and the base of many other findings. It has even been suggested that Newton really turned lead into gold.
John Dee
John Dee was born July 13, 1527, in Tower Ward, London. He was a noted British mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and occultist. he was a consultant to Queen Elizabeth. In 1582 he met Edward Kelley, who impressed him greatly with his abilities. This lead up to their marriage Which lead him to the supernatural world. Then all the books he wrote were about the supernatural. In 1583 he left to Poland. Dee, Kelley, and their families left for the Poland in September 1583. Emperor Rudolf II and King Stephen of Poland in which he chided them for their ungodliness and attempted to convince them of the importance of his angelic communications. He returned to Tower Ward after six years to find his library ruined and many of his prized books and instruments stolen. He support from Elizabeth, who finally made him warden of Christ’s College. Unil his death in 1608 or 1609.
I researched the famous alchemist: Sir Issac Newton 1652-1727 AD
I choose this alchemist not only for the fact that I had no idea he was a alchemist but because he is widely known by everyone.Sir Issac Newton an English alchemist who fomous for his math and physics also spent much time on alchemy. After, dicovering gravity he became more interested in alchemy. It was once said he turned lead into gold.
*What were alchemists?
Alchemists were those who studied alchemy, a natural philosophy that became chemistry and pharmacology.
*Who were alchemist?
Zosimus- He believed that everything was made up of Wind, Water, Earth and Air
Geber- He distilled strong acetic acid from vinegar and believed that metals are made up of mercury and sulfur invarying proportions.
Albertus Magnus- Described arsenic in its pure form
*What did they do?
Alchemists tried to create the Philosher’s Stone or the Elixer of Life, a stone mixed with gold that could make you live longer, or make youthful for ever.
*Did modern day chemistry really come from their efforts?
Yes, alchemists discovered many elements that help us in medicine. Also, they discovered alcohol, which is used to clean wounds.
zosimus known for the elements
Isaac Newton 1642-1727 AD this is the ALCHEMiST i chose.
He is known for basically dicovering gravity . He layed out all the science about gravity. this is some other imformation about him.He was the first to show that the motion of objects on Earth and of celestial bodies are governed by the same set of natural laws.Newton realised that the spectrum of colours observed when white light passes through a prism is inherent in the white light and not added by the prism and notably argued that light is composed of particles.
THE ALCHEMiST i RESEARCHED iS ZOSiMUS.
HE BELIEVED THAT ALL SUBSTANCES ARE COMPOSED OF THE 4 ELEMENTS OF NATURE– FIRE, AIR, WATER, EARTH.
HE COMPILED A 28 VOLUME ENCYCLOPEDIA.
IT IS THANKS TO HIM THAT THE WORLD NOW KNOWS WHAT IT DOES CONCERNING GREEK ALCHEMY. HE DISCOVERED A LOT BUT IT WAS DESTROYED WHEN CHRISTIANS BURNED DOWN THE LIBRARY IN ALEXANDRIA IN 391.
one of the most famous alchemist was:
Geber full name: Abu Musa Jabir Ibn Hayyan ca.
he was born 721 A.D.
and died 815 A.D
He’s responsible for giving us the worl gibberish which is from his long name
He distilled strong acetic acid from vinegar and believed that metals are made up of mercury and sulfur invarying proportions. He also popularised the idea of the Philosopher’s Stone which would combine the mercury and sulfur to make gold.
Fulcanelli (dates of birth and death unknown) is almost certainly a pseudonym assumed, in the late 19th century, by a French alchemist and esoteric author, whose identity is still debated by some. He is also called the Master Alchemist. The appeal of Fulcanelli as a cultural phenomenon is partly due to the mystery that surrounds most aspects of his life and works; one of the anecdotes pertaining to his life retells, in particular, how his most devoted pupil Eugène Canseliet performed a successful transmutation of 100 grams of lead into gold in a laboratory near Sarcelles with the use of a small quantity of the “Projection Powder” given to him by his teacher, in the presence of several eyewitnesses.
Geber (full name: Abu Musa Jabir Ibn Hayyan Ca) was an Arabian alchemis from Iraq who lived between 721-815 AD. He popularized the idea that if you combine the Philosophers Stone, mercury, and sufur it will make gold. He’s also responsible for giving us the word “gibberish” which is from his long name.
Greek alchemist Zosimus
He is the one that saved the Greek-Egyptian writings. Made a encyclopedia of 28 tomes which had what is known about mumification and ancient mathmatical formulae. We owe the survival of the description and principles of the Four Elements, Fire, Water, Air, and Earth; from which all substances were believed to be composed. His scientific contribution is his discovery of arsenic and lead acetate.
Abu Musa Jabir Ibn Hayyan also known as Geber, was an Araibian Alchemist who distilled strong acetic acid from vineager. He believed that metals were made up of mercury and sulfur. He also popularized the idea of the Philosopher’s stone which could make gold. We also got the word gibberish from his name. the Philosopher’s stone is a mythicle substance that supposedly could turn inexpensive metals into gold.
Geber was his nick name his full name was Abu Musa Jabir Ibn Hayyan ca. 721 – 815 AD
Geber, was an Arabian alchemist who lived in what we now know as Iraq.
He distilled strong acetic acid from vinegar and he believed that metals are made up of mercury and sulfur in varying proportions. He also popularised the idea of the Philosopher’s Stone which would combine the mercury and sulfur to make gold.
Philosophers stone is a mythical substance that supposedly could turn inexpensive metals into gold and/or create an elixir that would make humans younger, thus delaying death.
Geber is where we got the word ‘gibberish’, derived from his name!
Isaac Newton 1642 – 1727 AD
English astronomer, alchemist, and natural philosopher Issac Newton was the last well known alchemist. Newton though spent most of his time on physics and math,but also alchemy.
His great discoveries of light and gravity resulted around his obsession from alchemy. It is even suggested that Newton succeeded in transmuting lead to gold.
Zosimus was an Egyptian born Greek alchemist who believed that all substances were made of four elements: fire, water, air, and Earth. He collected all knowledge of Khemia and made it into a 28 volume encyclopedia. He is the reason why we know what we know about Egyptian and Greek Alchemy. Lots of the information was destroyed by the Roman Emperor who burned the library in Alexandria in 391.
An alchemist was a person who focused on Alchemy, though it was illegal at one point. After years and years, alchemy eventually evolved into chemitry and philosphy. In alchemy, the alchemists usually just practiced magin and combined many chemicals such as legs of animals, human hairs etc. Thanks to their practice, today we have chemistry.
The Alchemist:*Paracelus Full Name:Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim~ 1493-1541 A.D.
*Paracelus the Swiss born man took his name from Celsus meaning,’better than Celsus’.
*Paracelus invented the word known as alcohol, and his own branch of alchemy named ‘spagyric alchemy’.
*Paracelus believed that the purpose of alchemy was not to transmute metals, but to cure diseases.
Saint Thomas Aquinas (Thomas of Aquin, or Aquino) was an Italian Catholic philosopher and theologian in the scholastic tradition, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Universalis. He is the most famous classical proponent of natural theology (the field of study and analysis that treats of God and of God’s attributes and relations to the universe.) He was born inbetween 1225-1227. He died on Mar. 7, 1274 at the monastery of Fossanova.
Paracelsus full name: Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim 1493 – 1541 AD.
An achemist is a practitioner of alchemy .
He invented the word alcohol from the Arabic ‘al-kohl’, and his own branch of alchemy called ‘spagyric alchemy Paracelsus strongly believed in spiritual alchemy and that the purpose of alchemy was not to transmute metals, but to cure disease.
The Greek alchemist Zosimus, lived in Panopolis Egypt around 250 A.D. The date of his death is unknown. He is credited for having saved what little remains of the Greek-Egyptian writings. He composed an encyclopedia of 28 tomes containing much of what is today known about mummification and ancient mathematical formulae. It is to him that we owe the survival of the description and principles of the Four Elements: Fire, Water, Air, and Earth; from which all substances were believed to be composed. His scientific contribution is his discovery of arsenic and lead acetate.
He believed that all substances were composed of the same four elements, each substance differing in proportion to the four. Later, modern science discovered that all sixty elements relate to four elemental substances they call Oxygen, Carbon, Azote, and Hydrogen. Yet, no one in the scientific community will give credence to the possibility that these were the same elements the alchemist called Fire, Water, Air, and Earth.
Geber full name: Abu Musa Jabir Ibn Hayyan ca. 721 – 815 AD
Geber,was an Arabian alchemist who lived in Iraq.
He distilled strong acetic acid from vinegar and believed that metals are made up of mercury and sulfur invarying proportions. He also made the idea of the Philosopher’s Stone which would combine the mercury and sulfur to make gold.
An alchemist is someone who practices in the art of alchemy(an ancient branch of natural philosophy that eventually evolved into chemistry and pharmacology.)
Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim
A.K.A. Paracelsus
He was born in 1493 and died in 1541.
He invented the word alcohol from the Arabic ‘al-kohl’, and his own branch of alchemy called ‘spagyric alchemy’.
Paracelsus believed that alchemy wasn’t used to make metals but to cure diseases.
He lived from 1225-1274.
Saint Thomas Aquinas was an Italian Catholic philosopher and theologian he was known as Doctor Angelicus and Doctor Universalis. He is the most famous classical proponent of natural theology. He started the Thomistic school of philosophy. It was the primary philosophical approach of the Catholic Church. He is considered by the Catholic Church to be the greatest theologian; he is one of the thirty-three Doctors of the Church.
Many schools are named after him. One school is Saint Thomas Aquinas High School.
Zosimus
Zosimus was a Egyptian born as a greek alchemist. He believed that all the substances are had of all the four elements fire, water, air, and earth. He put his findings toghter on Khemia and wrote a 28 volume encylopedia. It is for him that we know about Egyptian/Greek alchemy. But most of his work was destroyed by the Roman Emperor Diocletian and the Christians whom burned the library in Alexandria.
A famous phisycian, philosopher, and scientist was Avicenna, also known as Abu Ali al-Husain ibn Abdallah ibn Sina. He was born in 980 in Kharmaithen in Persia. He died June 1037 in Hamadan, Persia. He began working with medicine at the age of 16 years old. By heping the sick he discovered many new forms of medicine. He became Philosopher at the agee of 18 years old. When he first became a philosopher his own words were, “Medicine is no hard and thorny science, like mathematics and metaphysics, so I soon made great progress; I became an excellent doctor and began to treat patients, using approved remedies.”
The struggle to achieve immortality…hmmmm. Were any of you not able to find a date of death? I wonder about this crew of characters. Maybe they really had something there.
~Paracelsus~
Born in Einsiedeln, Switzerland. from 1493-1541 AD.
Invented he word alchol, and his own branch of alchemycalled ‘spagyric alchemy’. He believed in spiritul alchemy to cure diseases no to transfor it into metals. Paracelsus was an alchemists, physican, astrologer, and and general occultist. He also wrote the the book Alcohidoxes of the magi.
The alchemist I researched about is Jacob Bohmen. He was born in 1575 in Germany. He thought he could discover the secret of the transmutation metals in the bible. Also, he invented a strange heterogeneous doctrine of mingled alchemy and religion. He was known for observing the divine providence and testing other alchemist´s theories. Jacob Bohmen died in 1624, leaving behind many disciples.
Albertus Magnus ca. 1200 – 1280 AD
Albert von Bollstadt, or Abertus Magnus, (which means Albert the Great) was a German monk and practising alchemist.Magnus closely followed the works of Aristotle, giving his philosophy prominence in the Middle Ages. He was the first to describe arsenic in its pure form and Thomas Aquinas, a famous alchemist, was one of his students.
Roger Bacon
Roger Bacon was one of the most famous Franciscan friars of his time. He was an English philosopher who placed considerable emphasis on empiricism, and has been presented as one of the earliest advocates of the modern scientific method in the West; though later studies have emphasized his reliance on occult and alchemical traditions. He was intimately acquainted with the philosophical and scientific insights of the Arab world, one of the most advanced civilizations at the time.The scientific training Bacon had received showed him the defects in existing academic debate. His work contained treatments of mathematics and optics, alchemy and the manufacture of gunpowder, the positions and sizes of the celestial bodies, and anticipates later inventions such as microscopes, telescopes, spectacles, flying machines and steam ships. Bacon studied astrology and believed that the celestial bodies had an influence on the fate and mind of humans. He also wrote a criticism of the Julian calendar which was then still in use. He first recognized the visible spectrum in a glass of water, centuries before Sir Isaac Newton discovered that prisms could disassemble and reassemble white light.
I’m sorry about my mistake. In the last sentence I meant to say: Apart from his scientific discoveries, he successfully treated Pope Boniface VIII, and Pedro III of Aragon.
Georgius Agricola
Agricola was born in March 24,1494 he was a german scholar and a man with a passion for science. He was born in Glauchau in Saxony. His actual name was Georg Pawer, Agricola was the Latin version of his name. At the age of twenty he made his appearance as a writer on philology. Two years later he gave up his writting and went to study to become a rector. His most famous work was published in 1556. His popularity did not last long. He was forced to resign his office. He then devoted himself completely to learning. He died in November 21,1555.
Arnold of Villanova 1235-1311
Arnold was a Spaniard who spoke both Arabic and Greek. He is known for bringing Arab work to the Europeans. A controversial writer that sometimes defied the Church, he was tolerated only for the fact that he had medicinal expertise. He wrote about the transmutations of metals and thought that one only needed Sulfur (which he had gotten from Geber’s theory of Mercury and Sulfur). His scientific discovery was carbon dioxide and is also thought to have been the first to develop pure alcohol. Apart from his scientific discoveries, he successfully Pope Boniface VIII, and Pedro III of Aragon.
Arnold of Villanova 1235-
SORRY FOR GOING OVER THE LINE MR. MOSHE=(
~Basil Valentine~1935~
Basil Valentine {whos real name is Basilius Valentinus} was called the Father of Modern Chemistry because he made many achievements in the chemical sphere. He was an originator of various cchemical preperrations such as the preparation of spirit of salt, or hydrochloric acid from marine salt and oil of vitriol (sulphuric acid) the extraction of copper from its pyrites (sulphur) by transforming it firstly into copper sulphate, and then plunging a bar of iron in the watery dissolution of this product. Some works of Basil Valentine are The Twelve Keys – The Medicine of Metals – Of Things Natural and Supernatural – Of the First Tincture, Root and Spirit of Metals – and his Last Will and Testament.
Information taken from:http://www.crystalinks.com/basilvalentine.html
*P.S. I could’t find when he died*
Arnold of Villanova
Arnold was born in Spain. He learned to speak both Arabic and Greek. Arnold had many objections to the Catholic church, but he never got in trouble because of his medical expertise. Arnold once treated the pope, and he has been credited for the first making of pure alcohol. Also, Arnold of Villanova discovered Carbon Dioxide. Without these discoveries, I think it would have taken longer for other scientists to make conclusions about how our bodies work, photosynthesis in plants, and treating a wound with rubbing alcohol.
Zosimus was an alchemist who believed all substances were composed of the elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. He gathered alot of information on khemia or alchemy, and created a 28 voloume encyclopedia. OUr knowledge of Greek and Egyptian is mostly credited to his work, but his books were later burnt by the Roman emperor Diocletian and Christians in 391. (a.d. im not sure)
Paracelsus full name: Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim 1493 – 1541 AD
The Swiss born Paracelsus took his name meaning ‘better than Celsus’, Celsus being a renowned Roman scholar of medicine.
He invented the word alcohol from the Arabic ‘al-kohl’, and his own branch of alchemy called ‘spagyric alchemy*.
Paracelsus strongly believed in spiritual alchemy and that the purpose of alchemy was not to transmute metals, but to cure disease.
* I couldn’t find a definition of the words together so I did it seperately.I got this info from dictionary.com.
spagyric means pertaining to or resembling alchemy; alchemic and
alchemy means a form of chemistry and speculative philosophy practiced in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and discovering methods for transmuting baser metals into gold and with finding an elixir of life.
Michael Sedziwoj ca. 1566-1636 AD
Michael Sedziwoj was a Polish alchemist, a philosopher, and medical doctor. Working with chemistry, he developed ways of purification of numerous acids, metals, and other chemical substances.
In Poland, around 1600, he conducted experiments with the Polish king, King Sigismund the 3rd Vasa, later being employed as a diplomat from 1600 on. As for most of his famous work, he designed mines and metal buildings.
His most famous book “A New Light of Alchemy,” was written in alchemic language-secret codes which were understandable only by other alchemists. In one of his other books, were his theories on the existence of a “food of life” in the air (meaning Oxygen). His other books contained various scientific, pseudo-scientific, and philosophical ideas and theories which were read by Isaac Newton as well as others in the 18th century.
Abu Bakr Mohammad Ibn Zakariya al-Razi 864-930 AD
This man was an alchemist born in Iran. Abu worked in a hospital and was known for his excellence in medicine. He did a couple of things for science. These included: the discovery alcohol, the use of alcohol in medicine, and he also discovered Sulfuric acid. In the field of medicine, he helped treat some diseases and provided the first description of measles. Apart from his discoveries, he was well known for being compassionate, kind, upright, and devoted to the service of his patients whether rich or poor.
Isaac Newton 1642-1727 AD
As well as being a well known English scientist studying physics and math, Isaac Newton spent a lot of time on alchemy. It has been said that he was not the first of the age of reason, but he was the last of the magicians. In rediscovered documents, it is obvious that his work on light and gravity came from his obsession with alchemy. It is even suggested that he succeeded in turning lead into gold.
Albertus von Magnus ca. 1200 – 1280 AD
Abertus Magnus, whose name means Albert the Great, was a German monk and practising alchemist from the Middle Ages. He idled the works of Aristotle, and was the first to describe arsenic in its pure form. Arsenic is a a very poisonous metallic element in the form of white powder. Thomas Aquinas, who was later to become a famous alchemist, was one of Magnus’s students.
“a substance sought by alchemists that would be capable of transmuting baser metals into gold or silver and of prolonging life.”
that is the dictionary meaning of philosopher’s stone.
In english, the philospoher’s stone is the turning of inexpensive metals, such as lead, into something that could be used to make people younger. Wierd, but true.
Hey Sabrina,
What is the “philosopher’s stone”? You see…If there could be a question that someone could ask, you should answer it before they can ask it.
So, What was the “philosopher’s stone”?
Geber full name: Abu Musa Jabir Ibn Hayyan ca. 721 – 815 AD
Geber was an Arabian alchemist who lived in what we now know as Iraq.
He believed that metals are made up of mercury and sulfur invarying proportions.
He popularized the idea of the philosopher’s stone.
Geber is responsible for giving us the word ‘gibberish’, derived from his name.