Modern Alchemy: Occultism and the Emergence of Atomic Theory 1st Edition by Mark Morrisson (PDF)

Description

Alchemists are generally held to be the quirky forefathers of science, blending occultism with metaphysical pursuits. Although many were intelligent and well-intentioned thinkers, the oft-cited goals of alchemy paint these antiquated experiments as wizardry, not scientific investigation. Whether seeking to produce a miraculous panacea or struggling to transmute lead into gold, the alchemists radical goals held little relevance to consequent scientific pursuits. Thus, the temptation is to view the transition from alchemy to modern science as one that discarded fantastic ideas about philosophers stones and magic potions in exchange for modest yet steady results. It has been less noted, however, that the birth of atomic science actually coincided with an efflorescence of occultism and esoteric religion that attached deep significance to questions about the nature of matter and energy.Mark Morrisson challenges the widespread dismissal of alchemy as a largely insignificant historical footnote to science by prying into the revival of alchemy and its influence on the emerging subatomic sciences of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.Morrisson demonstrates its surprising influence on the emerging subatomic sciences of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Specifically, Morrisson examines the resurfacing of occult circles during this time period and how their interest in alchemical tropes had a substantial and traceable impact upon the science of the day. Modern Alchemy chronicles several encounters between occult conceptions of alchemy and the new science, describing how academic chemists, inspired by the alchemy revival, attempted to transmute the elements; to make gold.Examining scientists publications, correspondence, talks, and laboratory notebooks as well as the writings of occultists, alchemical tomes, and science-fiction stories, he argues that during the birth of modern nuclear physics, the trajectories of science and occultism—so often considered antithetical—briefly merged.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐Morrisson makes important connections between these bodies of literature in a thoughtful and highly informed manner. The history of nineteenth-century vitalism that he traces early in the book has already proven a useful reference to which I’m sure to return regularly.

⭐This is a fascinating book for many reasons. I have always been interested in that area where cutting edge science meets conventional religion and occultism. I count “The Tao of Physics”, “The Dancing Wu-LI Masters” and “Meetings With Remarkable Men” among my favorites. Naturally I was drawn to “Modern Alchemy” if only by the title. It more than met my expectations. I mean how can a book that includes, among many others, Thomas Aquinas, H.P. Blavatsky, William Jennings Bryan, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Edgar Cayce, Aleister Crowley, Michael Faraday, Carl Jung, Anton Mesmer and J.R.R. Tolkein, be less than fascinating?Morrison traces the history of atomic science from the end of the 19th century until the 1030’s. However this is not some dry survey of “scientific progress.” Among the surprises is that when scientists first observed radioactive elements decaying they saw connections to alchemical transmutation. This was happening as alchemists, threatened by earlier scientific challenges to the idea of physical transmutation had begun to speak in terms of the “spiritual transmutation” of the individual as the goal of alchemical studies.The book also examines how radiation and atomic theory were seen in popular culture. Want to know what might happen to the world economy if some atomic scientist could change base metals into gold? You could read H.G. Wells or get a more comprehensive view Chapter 4 in “Modern Alchemy.”

⭐This is an interesting piece of work. This addresses the personalities involved in the various stages of ‘alchemy’ as much, if not more, than the science. That was not what I was looking for but it was interesting none the less and prompted ideas that set me off digging out other information on some of the aspects that came to mind – surely the mark of a good book. It is questionable whether the areas of occult science that are touched on in this work can truly be hung under the flag of ‘alchemy’ but it is an easy and largely interesting read and a certainly worth a look for folk interested in the potential overlaps and arguable synergy between science and magic, even though the integrity of some of the ‘occult’ work described in this book is dubious, some of it being the sort of thing that potentially gives magic and the occult the undeserved bad name that some give it.

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