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Syllabus Alchemy in Early Modern Europe - 39859 Syllabus Alchemy in Early Modern Europe - 39859 Last update 15-09-2020 HU Credits: 2 Degree/Cycle: 2nd degree (Master) Responsible Department: History Academic year: 0 Semester: 2nd Semester Teaching Languages: English Campus: Mt. Scopus Course/Module Coordinator: Dr. Magdalena Luszczynska Coordinator Email: [email protected] Coordinator Office Hours: on appointment Teaching Staff: Dr. Magdalena Luszczynska page 1 / 5 Course/Module description: Early modern alchemy was a phenomenon that permeated all spheres of life, from philosophy to economy, from politics to medicine, religion and visual art. Despite its immense popularity in the early modern world, as a subject of academic investigation, alchemy was for a long time marginalised as a misguided pseudo- science. In this course, we will give due attention to this long-depreciated element of early-modern life. The course is designed predominantly for students interested in early modern cultural history, the history of religion and the history of science. We will deal with the alchemical texts and images in their historical context as well as with their (changing) reception by the history of early modern culture and history of science. Course/Module aims: The course aims are, among others 1. to equip students with deep understanding of early modern alchemy as a cultural phenomenon that, while firmly rooted in its ancient and medieval traditions, is at the same time indicative of the baroque sensitivities and employs early modern forms of expression such as symbolic metaphor and allegory, visual imagery, and the art of emblems. The students will learn to critically approach primary sources (in translation) and interpret original visual materials 2. to highlight alchemys place in the early modern cultural landscape. The participants will study the multiple contexts in which alchemy flourished and trace its influence on other spheres of early modern life. Thus, the subjects discussed include: the role of alchemy at the royal court, its intersection with religion, both in its well-established magisterial form and in the form of non-institutionalised spiritually; the impact of alchemical on the economic makeup of early modern kingdoms and the contribution of alchemy to the revolution in early modern medicine. 3. o offer a survey of the current historiographical debate on the place of alchemy in the history of science, ideas, and culture. Learning outcomes - On successful completion of this module, students should be able to: -Develop substantive knowledge and understanding of alchemy as a scientific and cultural phenomenon in Early Modern Europe. -Understand the interconnection between the spheres of science, medicine, art, religion, and politics page 2 / 5 -Appreciate the importance of language and visuals in proto-scientific modes of expression -Examine and critically evaluate the primary sources textual and visual) -Identify and discuss different theories and approaches in the historiography of alchemy in particular and history of science in general Attendance requirements(%): Teaching arrangement and method of instruction: Course/Module Content: 1. Introductiona history of alchemy in the West. Basic concepts of alchemical theory 2. Historiography of alchemy: Jungian psychology, Frances Yatess thesis, New Historiography of alchemy, Alchemy and Western Esotericism 3. The language of alchemy 4. Alchemical images: the development of alchemical visual symbolism 5. Emblems and parables: alchemical symbolism of the baroque era 6. Alchemy and the Paracelsian medicine: Paracelsian theories of disease and iatrochemistry 7. Alchemy and Christianity: alchemical theology, appropriation of Christian kabbalah 8. Alchemical geology and theory of metallic generation 9. Alchemists and their patrons: the court culture, politics, and economy 10. the Rosicrucian brotherhood Required Reading: All texts and full bibliographic details will be provided; subject 1: History of Western Alchemy Optional readings BBC podcast In Our Time: Alchemy https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p003k9bn Subject 2: Historiography 1. Frances Yates, Science and the Hermetic Tradition 2. Wouter Hanegraaff, Beyond the Yates paradigm page 3 / 5 3. William Newman, Atoms and Alchemy, introduction: The Problematic position of alchemy in the Scientific Revolution 4. Brian Vickers, The New Historiography of Alchemy and the limits of Alchemy 5. OPTIONAL Giulio Giglioni, Who is afraid of Frances Yates? Subject 3: Language 1. William Newman, Decknamen or pseudochemical language 2. Recorded lecture of William Newman on Why Did Isaac Newton Believe in Alchemy 3. Paula Findlen, Jokes of Nature and Jokes of Knowledge 4. Michael Maier, Allegoria Bella (fragments) Subject 4: images 1. Barbara Obrist, Visualisation in medieval alchemy 2. Peter Forshaw, Alchemy in the Amphitheatre 3. IFW WEBINAR Peter Forshaw The Alchemy of the Amphitheatrum Subject 5 emblems and parables 1. Daly Emblems (introduction) 2. Ashworth, Emblematic Natural history 3. Michael Maier Atalanta Fugiens ( fragments) 4. Michael Sendivogius, Aenigma Philosophicum us Merians Etchings forהOPTIONAL Gaudio, The Emblem in the Landscape: Matth .5 Atalanta fugiens. Subject 6 : Paracelsus 1. BBC 4 Andrew Cunninghams The Making of Modern Medicine podcast, episode 4 Paracelsus and the peoples medicine 2. Paracelsus, Paragranum (fragment) 3. Ps. Paracelsus Of the Nature of Things (fragments) 4. OPTIONAL Cunningham, Paracelsus Thin and Fat Subject 7: Christianity 1. Cristiani, Opus and Sermo 2. Forshaw, Vitriolic Reactions 3. Heinrich Khunrath, Amphitheatrum Sapientiae Aeternae (fragments) 4. OPTIONAL DeVun, Alchemy and the End of Times Subject 8 Theories 1. Hirai Logoi Spermatikoi and the Concept of Seeds in the Mineralogy and Cosmogony of Paracelsus 2. Porto_Michael Sendivogius on Nitre 3. Newman, Gehennical Fire (extract) 4. Nicaise LaFeivre_A compleat body of chymistry (fragments) 5. OPTIONAL Newman Geochemical concepts in Newton page 4 / 5 Subject 9: Court culture 1. Moran, German prince-practitioners 2. Nummedal, Alchemical Reproduction and the career of Anna Zieglerin 3. Smith, Alchemy as a Language of mediation at the Habsburg Court Subject 10: Rosicrucianism 1. Dickson, The Tessera of Antilia, ch3 Andreae and the Fable of the RC Brotherhood 2. Smith, Resisting the Rosicrucians 3. Andreae, Confessio Fraternitatis; Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz(fragments) Additional Reading Material: Course/Module evaluation: End of year written/oral examination 0 % Presentation 10 % Participation in Tutorials 10 % Project work 80 % Assignments 0 % Reports 0 % Research project 0 % Quizzes 0 % Other 0 % Additional information: page 5 / 5 Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org).
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