The Interplay among Alchemy, Theology and Philosophy in the Late Middle Ages: The Cases of Roger Bacon and John of Rupescissa
Keywords:
Alchemy, Aristotelianism, Theology, Roger Bacon, John of RupescissaAbstract
During the Late Middle Ages, alchemy attracted the interest of many eminent scholars, yet alchemy’s constant failure to produce the philosopher’s stone veiled the art with a cloak of scorn. In this article, I examine the cases of Roger Bacon and of John of Rupescissa, both of whom entwined alchemy with philosophy and theology, portraying the hermetic art as a salutary practice for humanity and the Church. Therefore, my scrutiny of their works aims to demonstrate alchemy’s desire, albeit somewhat implicit, for recognition and legitimization.Downloads
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