1 Alchemy, nature Aristotle

The alchemists not only inherited Aristotle s attempts to explain the nature of the Universe, but were also greatly influenced by the elaborate astrological beliefs of the Ancient World. In fact, astrology and alchemy were so closely linked that many practicing alchemists were also astrologers. 

Eilhard Wiedemann, Zur Alchemie bei den Arabem, Journal fur praktische Chemie, n.s., 76(1907), 65—123 see 115—12 3. For further references, see Ullmann, Natur- undGeheimmssenschaften, 250. The language of genus and species in the context of metals owes a debt to the lapidary of pseudo-Aristotle, for which see Ullmann, Natur- und Geheimwissenschaften, 105—110. 

The nature of the philosopher s stone depends on the positive interaction (+) of Sun, Moon and Hermes Trismegistos, the mythical founder of alchemy, whose name appears on the Rosetta stone and who represents the syncretic link between the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian moon god Thot. Active masculine qualities are separated from passive feminine qualities. The relationship between Avicenna s two-element model and the four elements of Aristotle is shown. The total pattern resembles the incommensurable nesting of Platonic solids within the celestial sphere. 

Albert believed, as some did not, that there was more to science than the science of Aristotle. He was interested in alchemy but skeptical about reported transmutations I myself have tested alchemical gold and found that after six or seven ignitions it was converted into powder. " In the end however he bowed to authority and reported alchemical gold and iron as real materials, but he said that they lacked some of the properties of the natural species (for example alchemical iron is not magnetic). Albert did however believe that the best information on materials came from alchemists, as opposed to that given by mathematicians or astrologers. 

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