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SUMMARY:When a stone is not a stone: doing alchemy with plants and animals
  - Jennifer M. Rampling (Princeton University)
DTSTART:20170501T120000Z
DTEND:20170501T130000Z
UID:TALK72290@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Edwin Rose
DESCRIPTION:The pseudo-Aristotelian _Secret of Secrets_ was a popular sour
 ce of alchemical knowledge in medieval Europe\, with its mysterious refere
 nce to 'a stone that is not a stone' – a substance which was simultaneou
 sly animal\, vegetable and mineral. Over the centuries\, alchemists picked
  over this trope as they sought to explain how substances from the differe
 nt kingdoms of nature were able to interact. For instance\, ingredients th
 at were apparently incompatible on philosophical grounds – such as gold\
 , eggshells and spirit of wine – might in practice combine to create int
 eresting effects\, and to raise alchemical hopes. This talk will trace som
 e attempts to solve theoretical and practical problems in multi-species al
 chemy\, such as how to induce minerals to 'grow' like plants\, or how to d
 issolve gold in vegetable solvents. Above all\, how could alchemists persu
 ade patrons to invest in such techniques?
LOCATION:Seminar Room 1\, Department of History and Philosophy of Science
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