Duquesne University Duquesne Scholarship Collection Electronic Theses and Dissertations Fall 2014 The hiP losophers' Stone: Alchemical Imagination and the Soul's Logical Life Stanton Marlan Follow this and additional works at: https://dsc.duq.edu/etd Recommended Citation Marlan, S. (2014). The hiP losophers' Stone: Alchemical Imagination and the Soul's Logical Life (Doctoral dissertation, Duquesne University). Retrieved from https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/874 This Immediate Access is brought to you for free and open access by Duquesne Scholarship Collection. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Duquesne Scholarship Collection. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE PHILOSOPHERS’ STONE: ALCHEMICAL IMAGINATION AND THE SOUL’S LOGICAL LIFE A Dissertation Submitted to the McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts Duquesne University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy By Stanton Marlan December 2014 Copyright by Stanton Marlan 2014 THE PHILOSOPHERS’ STONE: ALCHEMICAL IMAGINATION AND THE SOUL’S LOGICAL LIFE By Stanton Marlan Approved November 20, 2014 ________________________________ ________________________________ Tom Rockmore, Ph.D. James Swindal, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor of Philosophy Professor of Philosophy Emeritus (Committee Member) (Committee Chair) ________________________________ Edward Casey, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Stony Brook University (Committee Member) ________________________________ ________________________________ James Swindal, Ph.D. Ronald Polansky, Ph.D. Dean, The McAnulty College and Chair, Department of Philosophy Graduate School of Liberal Arts Professor of Philosophy Professor of Philosophy iii ABSTRACT THE PHILOSOPHERS’ STONE: ALCHEMICAL IMAGINATION AND THE SOUL’S LOGICAL LIFE By Stanton Marlan December 2014 Dissertation supervised by Tom Rockmore, Ph.D. Alchemy has been viewed within the context of the history of natural science as a precursor to and a primitive form of chemistry. The enigmatic goal of the alchemical process, the Philosophers’ Stone, is the focus of this dissertation. A natural scientific approach has shed little light on the mythical, esoteric and symbolic attributes of the Stone, which are intrinsic parts of the alchemical imagination. From the larger perspective of the history of the human spirit, these neglected aspects of the Philosophers’ Stone can be seen as vital dimensions of an ancient religious and spiritual philosophy, the goal of which is not simply the transformation of lead into gold, but the transformation of earthly man into an illuminated philosopher. The natural scientific and spiritual/symbolic perspectives are aspects of the Stone’s history, which constitute a divide in the alchemical imagination regarding how the Stone is understood. Both dimensions are important in the historiography of the study of alchemy. C.G. Jung referred to these differing aspects of the Stone by what he called the “dual face of alchemy.” However, his contribution was to see the Stone in the context of symbolic and psychic reality and alchemy as primarily a precursor to his psychology of iv the unconscious. In so doing, he identified a depth psychological dimension. Jung’s perspective was revolutionary, and it considerably expanded the field of alchemical studies. Jung’s contribution has been challenged by Jungian revisionists such as James Hillman and Wolfgang Giegerich, and from outside of the Jungian tradition by a number of historiographers, currently and most prominently Lawrence Principe and William Newman. Such alternative perspectives are based on differing underlying philosophical convictions, and this recognition underlines the importance of considering alchemy and the Philosophers’ Stone as philosophical concerns as well as scientific, spiritual and psychological ones. In examining the history of philosophy and particularly the work of Kant and Hegel, this dissertation seeks to shed light on the enigmas of the Philosophers’ Stone from a philosophical perspective and on this basis, to make a contribution to the ferment within the field of alchemical studies. v DEDICATION September 1, 2014 With empathy for Hegel and inspired by his fortitude under fire. The Battle of Jena—October 11, 1807 vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would first like to thank the members of my dissertation committee, Drs. Tom Rockmore, Jim Swindal and Ed Casey, for their help and guidance throughout this process. They are all first class philosophers, and I am both honored and fortunate to have been able to work with them. Before speaking about them directly, I would like to acknowledge Dr. Wolfgang Zucker, Professor of Philosophy at Upsala College, who taught my first philosophy class: Hegel’s Phenomenology. Dr. Zucker’s scholarly and passionate presentation of Hegel’s ideas gripped me and opened a new world. I became a philosophy major, and the love of philosophy, a lifetime passion. I would also like to acknowledge the late Dr. Wilhelm S. Wurzer, former Chair of the Philosophy Department at Duquesne University. Prior to entering the Ph.D. program, I enjoyed long conversations with Dr. Wurzer about Goethe, Jakob Böhme, Nietzsche, Jung, rhetoric, and my interest in alchemy and the Philosophers’ Stone. Dr. Wurzer was instrumental in opening a path for me to pursue my research interests in the Philosophy Department at Duquesne. Returning to my Committee, I owe a great deal to Dr. Tom Rockmore for directing my dissertation, supporting and trusting in my work, and for staying the course through the long process. Dr. Rockmore’s courses and books on Kant, Hegel, and aesthetics, his vast historical knowledge of German idealism and the history of philosophy, and his passion for Chinese thought and culture have all been inspiring. His mentorship led me to a new way of understanding Hegel and the meaning of idealism, and ultimately to innumerable new insights into my work on the goal of alchemy. I extend my heart-felt thanks to Dr. Jim Swindal for agreeing to be a reader. Initially as a busy chair of the Philosophy Department and later as the even busier Dean of the College of vii Liberal Arts, Jim always found time to meet with me. He has been a knowledgeable guide, a wise and supportive presence, as well as a challenging, incisive thinker whose questions and insights are always provocative and humbling. I am grateful to Dr. Ed Casey and fortunate that he agreed to be my outside reader, given his busy academic commitments. I chose Dr. Casey for my committee because he is uniquely both a highly renowned philosopher and an eminent scholar of Jungian and archetypal psychologies. I first became aware of him through his scholarship and later, more personally, as a close colleague and intimate friend of archetypal psychologist Dr. James Hillman. James was my analyst, mentor, and later colleague and friend through whom I came to know Ed more personally. He deeply valued Ed, who was his go-to person for questions concerning philosophical issues, and I likewise came to regard his work highly. Ed’s easy manner, humility, and approachability are a mark of his character stature. I could think of no better reader for my work than Ed Casey. I would like also to extend my thanks to the current Chair of the Philosophy Department, Dr. Ron Polansky. My dissertation might never have been completed if Dr. Polansky had not challenged me to finish this work by upholding the constraints of time and by offering the image of Hegel writing the last chapter of the Phenomenology under the fire of the battle of Jena. Ron’s enigmatic style and elenctic method has, throughout my experience at Duquesne, been an awakening prod to all sorts of dogmatic slumbers. I would also like to thank Dr. Fred Evans for his fair, open, and friendly support. Fred’s work with Merleau-Ponty and Deleuze, and his book The Multivoiced Body opened me to important new ideas. His passion for global concerns and social justice has been inspiring. viii I would like to acknowledge my appreciation for Dr. Patrick Miller, for his serious scholarship in ancient philosophy, the classics, and psychoanalysis, and to thank him for his professional integrity, collegial attitude, and support. Thank you as well to Dr. Therese Bonin for deepening my knowledge of Pseudo- Dionysius and giving me the opportunity to explore mystical theology in relation to Jungian psychology. I want to share my appreciation for our department secretary, Joan Thompson, who is an integral part of our program. Joan’s knowledgeable, efficient, no-nonsense guidance was always helpful; and her personable, down-to-earth, good-hearted humor, always a refreshing delight in the midst of the necessary bureaucratic demands of seeking a degree. I would like to thank Sharon Broll for her careful reading and editorial suggestions. I cannot complete my expression of gratitude without acknowledging my friend and colleague, Dr. Claudette Kulkarni. Claudette has accompanied me in my writing over many years as a careful, patient, and talented editor and typist. With her enthusiasm for Jung and philosophy, she has been a knowledgeable companion, listening to my ideas and offering constructive feedback. Her generous availability has been an invaluable asset to my dissertation. Finally, I want to thank my wife, Dr. Jan Marlan, who is a Jungian analyst and forensic psychologist. Over the years, Jan has been my best critic and greatest support. She is a primary inspiration