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簡介: |
A unique approach to the history of science using do-it-yourself experiments along with brief historical profiles to demonstrate how the ancient alchemists stumbled upon the science of chemistry.Be the alchemist! Explore the legend of alchemy with the science of chemistry. Enjoy over twenty hands-ondemonstrations of alchemical reactions.In this exploration of the ancient art of alchemy, three veteran chemists show that the alchemists\\\' quest involved real science and they recount fascinating stories of the sages who performed these strange experiments. Why waste more words on this weird deviation in the evolution of chemistry? As the authors show, the writings of medieval alchemists may seem like the ravings of brain-addled fools, but there is more to the story than that. Recent scholarship has shown that some seemingly nonsensical mysticism is, in fact, decipherable code, and Western European alchemists functioned from a firmer theoretical foundation than previously thought. They had a guiding principle, based on experience: separate and purify materials by fire and reconstitute them into products, including, of course, gold and the universal elixir, the Philosophers\\\' stone. Their efforts were not in vain: by trial, by error, by design, and by persistence, the alchemists discovered acids, alkalis, alcohols, salts, and exquisite, powerful, and vibrant reactions--which can be reproduced using common products, minerals, metals, and salts. So gather your vats and stoke your fires! Get ready to make burning waters, peacocks\\\' tails, Philosophers\\\' stone, and, of course, gold! |
語言: |
英文 |
格式: |
pdf |
作者: |
Cathy Cobb, Monty Fetterolf, Harold Goldwhite |
目錄: |
“Acknowledgments
Preface
Apologia
X-Rated Alchemy
PART 1. SETTING THE SCENE
Introduction to Part 1: Stirring the Fires
Chapter 1. The Zosimos Effect
Demonstration 1. Calcination, Distillation, Transmutation!
Chapter 2. Islamic Authors—Romancing the Stone
Demonstration 2. The Mercury/Sulfur Makeup of Metals
PART 2. ALCHEMY IN THE MIDDLE
Introduction to Part 2: Middle-Aged Alchemy
Chapter 3. Auld Michael and the Fractious Friars”
Demonstration 3. The Firing and Falsifying of Gold
Chapter 4. Geber and the Sum of Perfection
Demonstration 4. Divine Waters
Chapter 5. Aqua Vitae!
Demonstration 5. Burning Waters
Chapter 6. Philosophers’ Stone
Demonstration 6. Erina\\\'s Fabulous Philosophers’ Stone
Chapter 7. Rocky Romance: Miners and Magick in the Renaissance
Demonstration 7. The Parting of Gold
Chapter 8. Paradigm, Paradox: Paracelsus
Demonstration 8. Diana and the Homunculus
PART 3. ALCHEMICAL RENAISSANCE
Introduction to Part 3: Paracelsus Is Dead; Long Live Paracelsus
Chapter 9. Paracelsian Women
Demonstration 9. Book of Secrets
Chapter 10. Paracelsian Men
Demonstration 10. Transmutation Revisited
Chapter 11. Charlatans and Chicanery
Demonstration 11. Tricks of the Trade
Chapter 12. What Can You Do with a Degree in Alchemy?
Demonstration 12. Practical Alchemy
Chapter 13. Renaissance Alchemical Authors
Demonstration 13. Lifting the Mystical Fog
Chapter 14. Sendivogius and Rudolf—Fire and Salt
Demonstration 14. The Poo Plan
Chapter 15. Johannes van Helmont—The Art of Fire
Demonstration 15. The Gas That Got Away”
PART 4. THOROUGHLY MODERN ALCHEMY
Introduction to Part 4: Full-Blown Alchemy
Chapter 16. Digby and Drebble—Something in the Air
Demonstration 16. Up in the Air
Chapter 17. The Society of Jesus and the Fraternity of the Rosy Cross
Demonstration 17. The Jesuit Workroom
Chapter 18. Glauber\\\'s Salt and Glauber\\\'s Gold
Demonstration 18. Glauber\\\'s Ghostly Golden Garden
Chapter 19. The Harvard Alchemists—and the Honorable Robert Boyle Begins
Demonstration 19. Reduction to the Pristine State
Chapter 20. Robert Boyle Ends—and So Do We
Demonstration 20. The Color of Alchemy
Conclusion: Alabaster and Clay
Stores and Ores” |
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