Sceptical Chymist in Search for Thales Principle

Abstract

Tales važi za prvog filozofa koji je postavio pitanje o osnovnim principima na kojima se sve zasniva. Njegov kandidat za ἀρχή bila je voda, jer je smatrao da iz vode sve ostalo nastaje i da se iz vode mogu stvoriti preostala tri elementa. Alhemičari, ili prvi hemičari, su se nastavljali na antičku tradiciju, naročito Aristotela i teoriju o četri elementa. Tako su dospeli i do Aristotelovih svedočanstava o Talesu, nakon čega su alhemičari poput Helmonta prihvatili Talesovu ideju da se voda nalazi u osnovu svega postojećeg. Za alhemičare je bila karakteristična sklonost ka eksperimentima, ne samo zbog toga što su pokušavali da pretvore ostale metale u zlato, već i zbog toga što su pokušavali da osmisle medicinske rastvore kojima bi predupredili pojavu raznih bolesti. Zbog bogatog eksperimentalnog iskustva, alhemičari su bili zgodna meta za „nove filozofe“, sa početka sedamnaestog veka. Robert Bojl je pripadao tom krugu jer je bio pristalica korpuskularne teorije. U ovom radu predstaviću Bojlov pokušaj replikacije alhemijskih eksperimenata, naročito Helmontovog eksperimenta sa vrbovim drvetom i Bekonovog eksperimenta sa vodom. Nakon toga, pokazaću da li je Bojlov interes za alhemijske eksperimentalne procedure u većoj meri doprineo razvoju moderne nauke nego njegova mehanicistička filozofija.

Thales is considered to be the first philosopher to pose a question about fundamental principles on which everything else is relied. His candidate for ἀρχή was water, because he believed that everything comes from water, and that the remaining three elements can also be created from water. Alchemists, or the first chemists, relied on the ancient tradition, especially Aristotle and the theory of the four elements. That is how they came to Aristotle’s testimonies about Thales, after which alchemists, like Helmont, accepted Thales’ idea that water is the basis of everything that exists. Alchemists were characterized by a tendency to experiment, not only because they tried to turn other metals into gold, but also because they tried to devise medical solutions that would prevent the appearance of various diseases. Due to their rich experimental experience, alchemists have been a convenient target for “new philosophers” since the early seventeenth century. Robert Boyle belonged to that circle because he was a supporter of corpuscular theory. In this paper, I will present Boyle ‘s attempt to replicate alchemical experiments, especially Helmont’ s experiment with willow tree and Bacon ‘s experiment with water. After that, I will show whether Boyle’s interest in the experimental procedures of alchemists contributed more to the development of modern science than his mechanistic philosophy.