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SUMMARY:Trick or treatise? Alchemy as natural magic - Jennifer Rampling (D
 epartment of History and Philosophy of Science)
DTSTART:20111031T130000Z
DTEND:20111031T141500Z
UID:TALK33109@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Sophie Waring
DESCRIPTION:In the popular imagination\, alchemy is often classed with mag
 ic under the heading of 'things we don't believe in anymore'. Most traditi
 ons of alchemical practice actually had little to do with magic. However\,
  some medieval and early modern treatises do relate astonishing effects\, 
 wrought through the occult virtues of completed alchemical products. From 
 luring birds and friendly philosophers to your house\, to recreating the c
 osmos in your kitchen\, these works posit a kind of 'alchemical magic' tha
 t takes the\nphilosophers' stone as its starting point. Yet how should we 
 treat these fabulae - as exercises in wishful thinking\, serious thought e
 xperiments... or simply elegant jokes at the alchemist's expense?
LOCATION:Seminar Room 1\, Department of History and Philosophy of Science
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