Who were the alchemists of old, and who are they now? What were they turning to gold? From the metaphorical and mythical, from history to chemistry, Farzad Mahootian looks at the Art of Alchemy and its imprint on philosophy, science, technology and culture. Here we will approach alchemy also as a reflection of our own spiritual awakening.
Alchemy is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition that was historically practiced in China, India, the Muslim world, and Europe. The art of alchemy was handed down through the centuries from Egypt and Arabia to Greece and Rome, and finally to western and central Europe.
Farzad Mahootian , Ph.D. Philosophy, M.S. Chemistry, is a Clinical Associate Professor of Global Liberal Studies at New York University where he has been teaching since 2010. He has taught philosophy, science, and humanities courses for over thirty years. He has also worked for over ten years outside of academia as a contractor with NASA’s education division during the transition to the world wide web. His research has centered on the relevance of myth and metaphor to interconnections between philosophy, science, technology and society.