Essay about Chemistry before Technology: Alchemy

“You can always turn a bad kisser into a good one,” Laura Prepon. Santiago, the main character of Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist leads a modest and ordinary life as a shepherd. Santiago travelled constantly, exploring the Andalusian terrain. In his travels, Santiago met a woman who interpreted his dreams, and told him his treasure would lie in Egypt at the pyramids. However, Santiago believed that the dream interpreter was a phony, and he continued to herd his sheep. Soon after, he exchanged words with the King of Salem, and Santiago was once again told to venture to Egypt in order to find his treasure. After careful consideration, Santiago sells his precious sheep and begins his journey. An alchemist, somebody who turns lead

In the early days of alchemy, many scholars doubted the authenticity and credibility of alchemy as a scholarly field of study. They labeled it as “mystical” and challenged greatly the possibilities of alchemical transmutations and any practitioner’s credibility. However, alchemy was still practiced and discussed in all levels of society. Alchemy has been discovered in recent times to have been central to the development of early modern science and medicine. The practice of alchemy has made many contributions to the development of modern chemical medicines.

1) What is alchemy? What processes were involved? Who performed it and why? Who were the famous alchemists of the medieval period?

Alchemy (Early Chemistry) was another science closely related to medicine. Alchemy was the name given to this science in Latin Europe in the 12th century. It was a belief that the human body was closely related to the stars and the heavens. Over hundreds of years, the main goals of alchemists were to turn any metal into gold and discover an elixir which could cure all ills or lead to immortality. This magical elixir was called the philosopher’s stone. Alchemy was based on the belief that there are four basic elements – fire, earth, air and water – and three essentials – salt, sulfur and mercury. The metals gold, silver, copper, lead, iron, and tin were all known before the rise of alchemy. The liquid metal, mercury, and the burning rock, sulfur, were also known. Many processes with these elements were known to alchemists. The art of alchemy was heavily spiritual. Alchemists were the first to try out different ideas and experiment with different elements, but because of their intense metaphysical and spiritual beliefs, they didn’t develop modern day scientific methods.

This not only effects, the society but it affects the person as they lose their sense with the real world. The biggest problem with technology is the lack of knowledge people have due to their over reliance of it, and if technology is removed altogether our society will continue to thrive and flourish in areas that require us to think for ourselves.

Later, in the Seventeenth Century, a German chemist named Georg Ernst Stahl was the first to postulate on chemical reaction, specifically, combustion. He said that a substance called phlogiston escaped into the air from all substances during combustion.

Prior to the scientific revolution, there was a branch of science called alchemy. Alchemists believed that it was possible to change substances into other substances. Many alchemists tried to no avail to turn ordinary metals into gold. During the Scientific Revolution, advances were made in chemistry that disproved many beliefs of alchemy, causing it to stop being practiced. However, some practices, including the manipulation of metals and acids evolved to become part of modern chemistry.

Essay twelve discusses a dark time for chemists. Suddenly, in the mid 1500’s chemists went from being priests and healers to witches and devils. Chemistry during this period is limited and men known as alchemists ran the show. These men used herbs metals and spices to create useful substances and herbal remedies. Helpful as they

What is most interesting about this is the amount of time he poured into these studies that were so controversial during the time period. It was said that “Newton’s studies in astronomy, optics, and mathematics occupied a small portion of his time” (Dobbs). The rest of his time spent on research was alchemy and other curious subjects that are considered occult. This research had to be conducted in secret due to the fact that alchemy was not a field that was accepted during the current time period. The thought of turning one substance into another through alchemy went against the idea of idea of the perfect natural world created by God and that is why it was outlawed. Isaac Newton went against the religious views of the time and still pursued

Techno-optimist or techno-pessimist? That is the question. Technology throughout time has no doubt changed our way of life. Travelling to destinations quicker, curing new diseases, or figuring out how to cease a wide famine are examples of how technology has made advances over time. The solutions that scientists create spark a tool that others cannot live without. But what if these technologies bring out negative effects rather than their desired purpose? Sometimes, innovators create new inventions that bring unintended consequences. It could range from less communication face to face, side effects from new medicines, or pollute the earth’s atmosphere.

During the Middle Ages, alchemists, which were the medieval version of chemists, believed that all things consisted of six elements: air, earth, fire, water, sulphur (which gave things the ability to catch on fire), and mercury (which gave things a metallic character). These ideas came from the Greek philosopher Aristotle (384 BCE-322 BCE) and the Persian alchemist Jābir ibn Hayyān (721 CE-815).

“If you’re not making someone else’s life better, then your wasting your time. Your life will become better by making other lives better,” said Will Smith, an actor and a singer. Throughout Santiago’s journey, he helps many people along the way, including himself. The boy also learns many life lessons so he can follow his heart and find his treasure. By going on this journey, Santiago makes himself and the things around him better. In the novel, The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho, Santiago learns, “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.” First, Santiago wants to earn money, so he works for a crystal merchant. Next, Santiago asks the alchemist for help so he can fulfill his dreams

Throughout history chemistry has had a large impact on the field of medicine. Things such as

Although organic reactions have been conducted by man since the discovery of fire, the science of Organic chemistry did not develop until the turn of the eighteenth century, mainly in France at first, then in Germany, later on in England. By far the largest variety of materials that bombard us are made up of organic elements. The beginning of the Ninetieth century was also the dawn of chemistry, all organic substances were understood

Alchemy is considered the precursor to modern chemistry. When you think of chemistry, usually you think of an exact science; something very meticulous. Truthfully, it is. To be accurate and to obtain precise and desired results, it must be accurate. Alchemy, however, was not an exact science, it was a primitive approach to the elements and usually they looked to a deity to actually initiate chemical reactions. Thus we separated them, but for good reason. In today's time we us instruments to give us exactness and precision that mankind had formerly ignored. Throughout time you will see that mankind has used chemistry to solve its most complex of problems and build a world that 7 billion people have come to know as home.