How Aristotle Accidentally Helped to Invent Alchemy (and got nearly everything wrong)

Reading historical texts of alchemy is puzzling because the underlying theory of transmutation is utterly foreign to modern physics and chemistry. Interestingly enough, the theory of alchemical change originated in the Meteorological speculations of none less than Aristotle. In his text the Meteorlogica he attempts to deploy his physics to explain phenomena between the Earth and the Heavens such as shooting stars, comets, sundogs, rainbows, etc. But in the same text, however, he will also provide his theory of "exhalations" which will also serves to explain how metals and minerals form deep within the earth. Thus, Aristotle's Meteorologica will not only explain how metals and minerals form but will also ultimately provide the physics by which substantial transmutation was thought to be achieved by the alchemists - a theory which endured for over 2000 years.
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Recommended Readings:
Wilson - Structure and Method in Aristotle's Meteorologica: A More Disorderly Nature - 978-1107042575
Reeve - Aristotle's Chemistry - 978-1647920890
Lettinck - Aristotle's Meteorology and its Reception in the Arab World - 978-90-04-10933-9
G.Vuillemin-Diem - Aristoteles Latinus: Meteorologica. Translatio Guillelmi de Moerbeka - 978-2503530802
Francisci Vicomercati ... in quatuor libros Aristotelis Meteorologicorum commentarii - www.google.com/books/edition/...
Rechter Gebrauch d'Alchimei - www.google.com/books/edition/...

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Consider Supporting Esoterica! Patreon - www.patreon.com/esotericachannel Paypal Donation - www.paypal.me/esotericachannel Merch - kzbin.info/door/oydhtfFSk1fZXNRnkGnneQstore

[@genghisgalahad8465]

Hopping from my unexpected enthusiasm in this Aristotelian discourse, would it be in your wheelhouse to cover Da Vinci and his uncanny observation of the human anatomy/physiology (oh wait, that's Michelangelo and his muscular horned Moses arm to pinkie flex ligament detail) and his almost superhuman global mapping of a city scape overhead prior to large scale higher altitude human flight, and his other genius-driven (in the old sense) artistic endeavors especially in religious art? And perhaps reclaim some scholarly rigor in these proceedings to separate the popcorn (fun yet pseudo) fare chaff from the grounded but no less (actually moreso) fascinating wheat? A tangent prompts this QUESTION, perhaps saved succinctly for a future livestream ask in the new year! 🤔 🏞🗺 Plus his famous intense genius and keen human scale observation of nature! To balance out the lofty big picture speculative edicts of Aristotle and the more sorta mysticism of Plato. A rigorous scientific eye for mystical subjects, like in his artworks. Now off of my Sunny in Philadelphia Charlie's string chart, "it's all connected" rabbit-hole dive horse! It would be the equivalent of having covered William Blake's evocative (rightly often thumbnailed book-covered) artwork to match his breathtaking philosophy and cosmogony! 🌌 📖 📚 🏞 🎨🪨

[@Protogonas]

Aristotle nearly getting everything wrong about Alchemy is Pure Alcomical Gold.

[@ariellenewgard2971]

I about died laughing about using gunpowder as a surefire way to get gold! Love it! 😂

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

It's true. Sad, but true

[@genghisgalahad8465]

​@@TheEsotericaChannel that's how it's done nowadays though, black gold gotten at the barrel of a gun. If you look at Aristotle, not literally, but poetically, he's not wrong, even if he's not correct.

[@AzraNoxx]

​@@genghisgalahad8465It is also true that back in the day, synthesizing gun powder was a money maker for anyone with the tools.

[@ladylongsleeves3175]

Yeah same, it's a great joke

[@Dowlphin]

Time index 32:18 - for people who want to relive the golden moment of worldly wisdom.

[@MrGksarathy]

Considering Chinese alchemists also placed great importance on cinnabar and sulfur + mercury by extension as the foundation of their internal and external alchemy, does this mean two groups of people independently came to the same wrong ideas, or was there some transmission via the Silk Road or something? If this is a dumb question, let me know.

[@lordmanatee439]

If all his contemporaries were wrong, then he is not foolish. He is a hero for getting things wrong, so we could learn to get it right.

[@Starday723y]

He debated with Democritus regarding politics, democracy vs aristocracy.... then they debated the nature of reality earth air fire and water vs atoms... Democritus, right on two fronts, but as the less authoritative orator he "lost" part of the debate.

[@john_blues]

Sounds like what I told my Calculus professor once after we got out exams back.

[@SuperSlymee]

Below the crystalline spheres of the wandering stars is top tier prog content.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

I heard they changed time signatures in Harmony with the Golden ratio

[@SuperSlymee]

@@TheEsotericaChannel They absolutely did and it repelled all of the black metal fans.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Yeah we only like stuff recorded on fisher price mics and such

[@ren-db1ch]

Their song titles certainly score highly on the Bal Sagoth scale of wordiness

[@zacharycurrie3708]

Prosecutor: "and have you ever thrown a ball, Mr. Aristotle?" Aristotle: ".. Suppose there is a sea battle tomorrow.." Prosecutor: "Have you or have you not thrown a ball?" Aristotle: 👀

[@VIP-ry6vv]

Objection hearsay!

[@user-gr7wd4kg3e]

Great explanation of the akchemical foundation... I especially like the in-depth reasoning of what they were seeing & their model. We forget... They weren't idiots, they were just wrong. Wrong in the right way & you've all kinds of evidence to prove the misunderstanding.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

They were extremely pioneering geniuses and shockingly careful experimentalists

[@DanRPratt]

I dipped my toe into the historical study of alchemy about a decade ago. This episode helped me understand why it was so difficult to get a conceptual handle on-I didn’t have any background on the Meteorologica. I could start over, but I’m afraid I might come out the other end with irreversible damage to my logic circuits. Thanks for another great installment.

[@kieranczyzyk9064]

I'm reading through Fullmetal Alchemist for the first time andi it's interesting how some of the ideas here got incorporated into the worldbuilding of that series. the Author did her homework!

[@qct101]

That title basically sums up all of Aristotles work. Both incredibly revolutionary and completely wrong

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Yeah, kinda. But if you're going to be wrong be *systematically* wrong.

[@genghisgalahad8465]

​@@TheEsotericaChannel I'm* no Aristoteetotaler*! I gotta give the man more than some credit alongside Plato. I mean, current super-rigorous astrophysics cosmology is having its so-called "cosmological crisis" as to the age of the universe and its very makeup, how it works, and its accelerating expansion, so that's a good humbling thing for western philosophy, I think. 🎉 🌌

[@AlexanderGieg]

That's normal for pioneers in any field. The guy basically invented science -- all of it. Having him also get everything right at the very first attempt would have made him not a philosopher, or a scientist, but a god. 🙂

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

True Aristotle was an absolute genius

[@genghisgalahad8465]

​​@@TheEsotericaChannel Wow, I had a lovely thought and thank you max HBO for giving me a chance to save but me not saving my comment because I was on a roll then ending your f'ing advertus interruptus to disapeear it. I will not watch your show, and I will tweet my mirth of its inevitable cancelation demise, HBO. That said, the philosophical problem of evil is apparent in this kinda BS. Ads: "Don't think, eat your candy, and rot your brains."

[@briansbrain426]

I was told "Alchemy" is a derivative of "al kemit", meaning "from Egypt" in Arabic and that it is a remnant of the magic of Ancient Egypt.

[@jeremias-serus]

Though fun, fhis is a folk etymology. The most accepted origin for the “chemia” in alchemy and chemist is from the Greek verb to pour, χειν (chīn), pronounced kin. Upon entering Arabic, the n turned to an m, then upon reentering Europe the i was reduced to an e.

[@briansbrain426]

@@jeremias-serus Interesting. Thanks for the insight!!

[@c.m.cordero1772]

I finally got merch for Christmas!

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Wonderful!

[@luisvictorf]

Happy Holidays Doctor

[@cheri238]

Thank you again, Justin, and friends. Today is New Year's Eve, and I wanted to wish everyone a great 2024. Your lectures are amazing!!! 🙏❤️🌎🌿🕊🎵🎶 Aristotle, the greatest of the Greek Philosophers, some may argue, was born at Stageria, 384 b.c. His father was a physician and his on early education was in that direction. In his 18th year he went to Athens and he became a student who of Plato, who called him the "Intellect of the school." He stayed at Athens for 20 years until the death of Plato, 347 B.C., when he went to Atarneas in Mysia, and afterwards to Mitylene. In the year 342 B.C., he was invited by Philip, King of Macedon, at Macedonia. When Alexander started on his expedition to Asia, 334 B.C., Aristotle returned to Athens, where at the age of fifty, he opened a school called Lyceum from its temple of Appolo Lyceius. His school and pupils were called Peripatetics from his habit of walking up and down in the garden while giving his lectures. after the death of Alexander, he was accused of impiety by the party in power. With the fate of Socrates before his eyes, he chose a timely escape and fled to Chalcis in Euboea, where he died in 322 B.C. Many of his writings are lost; of those that remain his Logic, Rectoric, Poetics and Meteorology are the most important. He almost created the science of logic, and that of natural science. In philosophy no one can be named whose influence has been greater or more lasting. After listening to you with great respect, I learned what I have never heard of before. Thank you again for your passion in your fields of expertise.

[@tabcat]

Just remember: you may have to sell a kidney (or two) in order to afford this stuff, but it doesn't have to be _your_ kidney.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Craigslist kidneys

[@tabcat]

@@TheEsotericaChannel Unfortunately, I don't think they let you sell body parts, so you'll have to use code: "I'm selling large people beans."

[@Dowlphin]

@@TheEsotericaChannel Organs is something I would not buy used.

[@illegalwiretransfer1457]

Love the beard gap, thank you for all the hard work you put in to make these videos! Putting kidneys on ice, getting shipping label when USPS opens and will ship today!

[@Suboptimalconditions]

The most incredible re-branding ❤ this has been an incredible pleasure to watch and you have been a fantastic resource for me. Thank you for all your work.

[@keanuclark4833]

Justin, thank you for what you do. I was just reading the introduction to ECONOMY AND NATURE IN THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY Money, market exchange, and the emergence of scientific thought by JOEL KAYE at Barnard College. The impact of Aristotle on the rapid monetization of the Medieval Period was on my mind as a result. To see the prominence of the meteorological writings on alchemy just after reading about that is pretty wild. Your work is highly appreciated

[@owlbeno]

Happy new year Doc

[@charliestephens4909]

This is one of your best videos. Thank you

[@lizb7271]

I can appreciate how much the theories make internal sense, disregarding modern scientific knowledge to the contrary. I found the example of the formation of gold particularly striking in its elegant explanation of why gold does not oxidise. I was reading about fast breeder reactors cooled by liquid sodium and how some of the sodium is transmuted into magnesium as a result of the radiation. I find that aspect cool because it is absolutely not how things work for the vast majority of things in human experience, elements don't just turn into other elements.

[@M0U53B41T]

wow, I know it's been a while but I don't recall even hearing about Aristotle's Meteorologica in school. Always exciting to see a new video of yours thanks for covering this! I hope you do more Aristotle

[@AzraNoxx]

It's not unlikely that they never mentioned it at all.

[@jessicarose9208]

Thank you so much for this video. Your knowledge is so greatly appreciated to me, and I feel so underappreciated in the popular world

[@Bildgesmythe]

Thank you for another year of great content!

[@kimfreeborn]

Excellent deep dive into Aristotle and Alchemy

[@VIP-ry6vv]

Another great vid giving care and attention to the history at the base of modern understanding, no matter how flawed that base may be in retrospect. Also, i've been heavy into post modern alt prog rock so i slapped the following together for amusement. Genre: Post-rock Band: Find Their Way Within It. Album: Beneath the crystalline spheres of the wandering stars. Tracklist: 1. Subalternation. 2. Eternality of The World. 3. Textural Transmission and Corruptions. 4. Vague Exhalations Falling Upon the Earth. 5. Informed in a Specific Form. 6. Tragedy in Pursuit of a Fundamental Aesthetic.

[@charityslave]

Bonus track: as it is above, so it is below

[@vtheselfdevotee111]

I appreciate you covering another video on alchemy, we cant have enough of those.

[@MusicalRaichu]

thanks for covering this interesting topic. we actually learned a few points you mentioned in high school, but we didn't have time to dive into details.

[@jennyd4866]

Wow!! Amazing episode.

[@mtomat007]

There is an image at 32:46 that reminds me of the Medicine Wheel, or even the Wheel of the Year... so similar! Another amazing video, Dr Sledge. Thank you! PS: will email you my MA by Res thesis where I mention you and your channel once its final mark is finalised.

[@illegalwiretransfer1457]

Best channel on KZbin!!!! Happy New Year 2024!!!

[@gogutier1]

Great video!

[@codex3048]

Would it be fairly accurate to say that "mainstream" science (Aristotle) and "esoteric" science (Hermes) were pretty much the same field in the ancient world? Your video leaves me with that impression. Though Hermes brought in some personal mysticism that Aristotle probably would not have endorsed.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

In physics, yes. With a strong adjunct of stoicism by the 1st bce

[@AzraNoxx]

Yes, at times, there hasn't been much distance between different types of wisdom in the past.

[@AC-dk4fp]

I'm no Aristotle expert but I wouldn't be so sure Aristotle is anti-mysticism, Neo-Platonism is pro-Aristotle for a reason. I need to reread Yulia Ustonova's Divine Mania but I remember it being full of Aristotle citations, perhaps even more she cites Plato. Its not like Plato hasn't been forcefully read as anti-mysticism either.

[@AC-dk4fp]

By terminology there's not much difference now, that's why energy, evolution and quantum are popular New Age buzzwords. The difference is you can't actually do real physics with whatever New Age writers think 'quantum' means and the New Age version of 'energy' doesn't obey any of the limitations in the definition physicists use. I kind of doubt that difference is new and without pre-modern parrelels since mystical language can tend towards fuzzyness. @@AzraNoxx

[@AzraNoxx]

@@AC-dk4fp Well, let's separate a couple of things out here: one area is "mysticism that takes inspiration from exoteric arts and sciences" - that's your New Age quantum mysticism - and the other area is "how old is the popular and institutional separation of spiritual wisdom from practical medical or scientific wisdom?" For the New Age thing, I'd argue that humans have always incorporated metaphors and terminology from the arts and sciences. People take inspiration from things that are familiar and from things that require specialized knowledge (which makes those things cooler for lack of a better word). But on the "was science always so strictly exoteric?" the answer is "no." It was fairly common throughout history for the groups of people who had time to spend just on knowing lots of things (the Doctors, Priests, Lawyers, and Administrators of many cultures) to soak up and retain as many kinds of knowledge as they could. Often a priest would know something about medicine and astronomy or a doctor would rely on magical technologies. I forget whether it was one of Dr. Sledge's videos or Religion for Breakfast, but I learned that Islamicate physicians would often make sacred squares of various numbers to heal illnesses or change someone's luck. Other Islamicate scholars would debate whether that form of astrology was superstition or not, but it was less about "science/not science" and more about "is this part of the good religion, or is this of fools and devils?" You can see the same debates happening in discussions of the early Jesus movement (is Jesus a real holy man, or is he a dude with suspicious abilities who formed a cult of personality?). One of the ways Jesus was discussed was not "he isn't able to do miracles" it was "those demons he cast out were audience plants that he had working for him the whole time". Ie. They were saying that Jesus wasn't part of the local "good religion", he was doing magic/witchcraft. In that time period, science or not was more "did a devil cause a hallucination in your audience?" than "this was physically impossible and you tricked their perceptions." You may also notice that many famous historical occultists were also diplomats, chemists, scientists, or metal workers, sometimes several of the above. Sir Isaac Newton got up to magic in his attic. Dr. John Dee (sp?) also learned about non-esoteric disciplines. Meanwhile the faculty of a university in Paris had to make an official statement telling everyone that demon summoning and binding was not good Christianity, and would you all please stop it? There was always an element of "that ability just isn't possible" to these debates about superstition, but I'd argue that the discussion of non-standard mystical experiences and practices has leaned pretty strongly towards debates over whether those practices were magic or part of [insert socially approved religious framework]. Esoterica has been a central part of gathering knowledge for some time.

[@Ashley-jp4nn]

Best channel in the multiverse

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Kind and definitely not true

[@genghisgalahad8465]

@@TheEsotericaChannel well there is then a channel in the multiverse somewhere where a Sledge gets it all wrong and is steeped only as far as late 19th century to mid 20th century. It's a Schrödinger's cat of being both true and yet not absolutely, but* certainly a best. Philosophy of science wrangles in all sorts from the woodwork including myself thinking, I dunno if I have much to say about Aristotle milieu, it's kinda my weak point or least interest, and yet...

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

There's a beardless me hosting exoterica

[@genghisgalahad8465]

​@@TheEsotericaChannel Outlaw (because not Just-in) Sledge of Exoterica! 🌌

[@maurg34]

Thank you Dr. Sledge for providing excellent and consistently scholarly yet entertaining content! I personally am a big fan of spiritual alchemy so the part about rebranding especially hit home... 😅Still I am so grateful that you never pass judgment (at least vocally to your viewers lol) on any belief system. I hope to meet you one day if just to shake your hand and say thank you in person for the tremendous (and free!!!) work you gift to us constantly. P.S. Was wondering if you plan to do an episode on Mary Ann Atwood any time soon--I saw you linked her work in the description of your Cleopatra video. Am always excited when you talk about women especially those interested in ~Hermetics~

[@BUGZYLUCKS]

I love you and your channel. You are a certified bad ass bro !!!!!!

[@Lucius1958]

32:32 Saltpeter made the difference... *"See the ball I hold:* *Let the chymists toil like asses;* *Our fire their fire surpasses,* *And turns all our lead to gold!"* - John Gay, 'The Beggars' Opera'

[@ArachneAnathema]

Thank you! Now I feel I must go and rewatch all of the alchemy episodes again, because now they will make more sense. For at least the same length of time, medicine was concerned with balancing the four humours, which is also just seen as wrong, today. But, it was better than ‘you are afflicted with a demon’. Thank you for sharing all your knowledge with us. Truly there are days that it makes me feel better about humans.

[@justicedenson140]

Wonderful presentation as always Dr! Thank you. I can’t wait to see what you bring us in 2024. Happy holidays ❤

[@lessismore4470]

Thanks a lot. Greetings from Poland. More Blake, perhaps?

[@MTheoOA]

Absolutely masterpiece from you. Why you're so cool? pff. One of my favorite channels. Like to drink a coffe while listening to this wonderful piece of media

[@kadlena3711]

Thank you for your content I have learned so much. and look forward to learning more

[@axonn101]

~24:27 this is something my professor in University talked about. It is likely that much of what we have from Aristotle is not work he wrote for public consumption. It is probably his lecture notes. Reading through texts like Ethics we come across moments where he appears to be addressing some other person. Perhaps only his voice was recorded in his lectures. Throughout Aristotle’s introductory reading I recall at least a couple of moments where he talks about different theories much in the way a teacher now would to provide their class more context on a subject.

[@AzraNoxx]

It is kind of amazing how someone might take something as wrong as the Meteorlogica, then notice something like the different variants of quartz (which are indeed shaped by temperature and condition), and then conclude that much of what Aristotle was saying must be true and they just hadn't figured out the trick of it yet.

[@AzraNoxx]

Gah! "This cool ore produces some of each of mercury and sulfur, so this must be what Aristotle was talking about!"

[@StoneHerne]

😃 Amazing! 😃🤘Happy 2024, Dr. Sledge! 🤘

[@wademacomber7366]

Thanks!

[@jamesonstalanthasyu]

What is the item behind you on the shelf, underneath the bust? Is it a hanging chime on its side? Or a nested item?

[@shadbridges6893]

This episode is excellent, and at the same time bitter medicine. Huge fan of paracelsus and especially his concept of the seed of metals, but facts are facts and it was obviously wrong. Doh!😂

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Yep - everybody likes history until it's their history

[@jolouisd]

@@TheEsotericaChannel history is never yourstory

[@genghisgalahad8465]

​@@jolouisd herstory is often blatantly ignored as in Nobel Prizes of the 20th Century and the two before. As well as in religious history. And in space rocket science.

[@charityslave]

Top tier educational content. Thanks for all you do!

[@legionjames1822]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. Super interesting as ive just been getting into atistotle thinking be might have been a bit more correct than anyone is comfortable with admitting.

[@manuelsosa7397]

Yeah.. crazy uncle Paracelsus.. I would love for alchemical transmutation to really work... at least so that the effort provides us with funds to pay for new books!

[@Flum666]

'what is the nature of......' Dr.Sledge doing a long pause, me shouting at the screen NATURE

[@TiroDvD]

The big deal and point of Ben Franklin's kite experiment was to show that Lighting was Electricity (from Amber) and *not* some type of Fire, like comets & meteors etc.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

yep!

[@MichaelYoder1961]

Justin, now that they are making diamonds in the lab, would you consider this some kind of modern alchemy? I know we'd just call it chemistry and technology, but... Thanks for all your work and sense of humour and Happy New Year!

[@donutboi467]

all chemistry is modern alchemy

[@Sashko_Dee]

Last I heard they were able to turn actual lead into gold but the amounts are purely acedemic and the process is NOT cost efficient in the slightest.

[@Donnie-Dark-X]

"Can it be true that I hold here in my mortal hand a nugget of purest green?"

[@tym7267]

If I ran out of kidneys to sell after buying books from Brill, do I have to give up an arm and a leg? ;) ... right I am gonna show myself out

[@JonLundy0]

Gunpowder, a sure fire way to turn something to gold. 😂

[@MxSamael]

Would you do a video on Rec 1 and 2? They have viral demon possessions and i love your work, if i go to college ill have to see if i can study anything there.

[@Tinkering4Time]

“There is no chemical transmutation…” Nice misdirection! We know you know! /sarcasm Jests aside, as someone who got introduced to the concept of Alchemy via the first book of Harry Potter (when it first was published in the USA) it is really cool to get to learn how the theory and history developed over the millennia. I was partially convinced by the theory of spiritual alchemy for quite a while after I heard of it (motivated in part by the thread of perennialism running through the Mormon doctrine I was raised with), and I have been delighted by how you have offered increasing clarity and context on the subject with your work.

[@regex74]

Kidneys do be at a premium these days...

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

We should make a brill currency based on the exchange rate of black market organs

[@AzraNoxx]

Lol. Certainly

[@choptop81]

Can you do a video on the Secret Chiefs

[@rouslanrouslan2677]

I've been saying this for a long time. Either directly or indirectly, Aristotelian philosophy has had a massive influence on alchemy and serves as a fantastic starting point for understanding both the physical and the immaterial. And it's hard to deny that, even if Aristotle meant the four elements literally as a mechanism for change, the underpinning system of qualities and their contraries clearly make the four elements more experiential and metaphorical than they're initially given credit for. And at the end of the day, the contraries of hot/cold and wet/dry were stand-ins for act and potency, the prime concepts of Aristotelian metaphysics.

[@trikepilot101]

Crazy, man. Love the beard gap.

[@gregpappas]

Superb!

[@bendthebow]

Above the Earth but Below the Crystaline Spheres of the Wondering Stars must be Godspeed you, Black Emperor's new album

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Yep, tracks

[@briannacery9939]

Ya gotta start somewhere,...even if it's...wrong!

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Yes'm

[@AzraNoxx]

That's ..... Actually a decent point

[@jessicarose9208]

Hi guys, happy 2024. I found hermeticism, because I started watching TikTok and saw all the tarot videos. They were calming, with a very long nails, doing tarot telling peoples future. It was fun, and I realize that I needed to do something with my hands too. so I bought my first set of tarot cards on Amazon lol. I felt embarrassed. It was new for me the idea of asking an oracle what the answer is. Little did I know I was about to go down a rabbit hole that would allow me to open a door. And now I’m in a new realm of thought. It was swift it was frustrating there was friction. I’m gonna be pretentious here and say I’ve been going through Babylonian tower type things. Long story short I do not have any education when it comes to anything that is Lectured on this channel. I did take theatre school and playwriting, so I’m lying to you. Of course I understand a little bit of the Greek playwright stuff and how those playwrights came to write. As well, it’s hard to really understand what’s going on because you’d have to understand Greek to really understand what’s going on. Stuff like that. I have a question actually it’s what books should I buy. It’s New Year’s. I’ve got Christmas money and I don’t want to buy another book that is essentially flowery and unnecessary. I want top notch solid info. So I’m thinking the hermetical corpus there’s a lot of different ones. I would be happy to purchase some thing from, the channel, the doctor spoke of, but I do need to make sure that it is a no nonsense buy for someone purchasing their first piece of literature that really is right on for this stuff. There’s a lot of flowery things out there right now and it can be hard to decipher, but I don’t know much about this stuff. I just realized that Hermes is also Thoth…. that’s where I am. The Segal Centre in Montreal, a place I worked at for several years and have good ties there. A wonderful brilliant theatre company. I know a new playwright is putting on a show called 15 dogs. And it’s about Hermes that’s all I know. It’s going to be in March 2024. Montreal anyway if you want it, let me know what books would be good to buy. I would be happy to purchase it from the other channel. wow I am so rambling right now. I understand if you don’t know how to answer this I just like a list of books if you think it’s good. But only if you have the time because I understand that your time is valuable and you’re already doing us a great service and I really thank you. I’m happy I found you. I already shared you on my Facebook. It’s got smart, playwright people on there! my friends on Facebook what I mean. OK thanks

[@jessicarose9208]

“ It’s like he’s never thrown… Anything” 😂

[@rocknrollmanic]

Is there a channel or a video I can go to for learning about Nordic Rune Magic?

[@michaelpineiro533]

Student: 'I'm all out of kidneys!' Publisher: 'You got a liver, don't ya?'

[@roys.1889]

Hey doc do you script your videos or are these extemporaneous? curious

[@genghisgalahad8465]

Yes. 🎉🎙🎬 📜 replete with teleprompters!

[@CannaCrafter]

I think the criticism of Aristotle are a bit harsh. We dont consider his limitations of language of his time. And his thesis wasn't just thought up, they were based on practical observation. His ideas are actually very congruent with what we perceive to be impirical observations of our own time. The transformitive states of hot, cold, wet, and dry are absolutly undeniable. To make steel bend you must make it hot, if you find the precise melting point the solid then becomes liquid. If you use cold with the molten steel it transforms from liquid to solid. This is obviously true for water aswell. His concepts of the forming of minerals are further expansions on this. And we know that heat and pressure do indeed have a role in specific formations, his theory of the smokeyness of certain metals is based on volcanic activity. in the process of heat and friction and combustion there is steam that rises up throughout the cracks and crevices of the earth. This will create diferent levels of wetness, and will trap the vapors of various gasses and what we could call smoke therefore they would heat at different rates and become different minerals based on these combinations of elements. In order to prove this idea one would have to know the precise conditions that each mineral was created in order to replicate it. We now make artificial gems why not metals? And if we can make metals why not precious ones? We in the modern era are quick to laugh at people like Aristotle because of our "modern" understanding. But we fail to realize that we are all unknowingly proving him right, take for instance concrete, its dry and cold, add water and a chemical process creates heat, if the ambiant tempreture is too cold the concrete cant set up, if it drys to quick it will crack, but if done just right it turns into a strong solid. Keep in mind the ancient greeks concrete still cant be replicated with modern technology and it been around for thousands of years and our sidewalks barely last a decade, maybe they were on to something. Just food for thought. I love your chanel keep doing what you do bro.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Oh, trust me. I'm not laughing in the least. To quote Spinoza 'I have striven not to laugh at human actions, not to weep at them, nor to hate them, but to understand them.' That's the whole point of this channel. In fact, I literally give two empirical reasons why the alchemists were totally reasonable to accept the sulfur-mercury *in this episode* Also, we very well understand Roman concrete. It's just that (1) it doesn't make sense financially to make it the way they did and (2) they didn't have vehicles like semi-trucks and thousands of 2 ton cars on them every second. People talk a big deal about Roman roads, concrete, etc., but without the least grasp of the contemporary comparanda.

[@davidcardenas942]

@@TheEsotericaChannel Concerning the Roman Concrete, wasn't it simply a year ago that the missing step was found in making it? Apparently before then the researchers were using the wrong mixing technique, and thus lime clasts were not being formed. These so-called impurities were what allowed the Concrete to self repair. While I doubt the exact same concrete formula will be used. I think the addition of clasts that react with water seeping into the cracks so that it can self repair. Will be incorporated with new formulas of concrete when previously they were omitted.

[@aidanlogan4384]

Hope you're feeling a bit better from the stomach bug

[@AzraNoxx]

Oh no! Best wishes from me as well, Dr. Sledge.

[@ktkatte6791]

i love the green cup lol

[@AccidentalNinja]

Gunpowder is a sure-fire way.... nice. Also, I like the beard gap.

[@sheniltigro]

what is that picture that appears on the minute 7:50?

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Four elements from a medieval manuscript

[@Justineyedia]

"It seems that ambition makes most people wish to be loved rather than to love others."

[@JohnnyKooter]

So technically I can blame Aristotle for "Azoth"?

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Ugh, I guess

[@JohnnyKooter]

@@TheEsotericaChannel just spit balling here

[@AzraNoxx]

I'm curious about that reference. I've heard the word but can't place it right now.

[@genghisgalahad8465]

@@AzraNoxx Azoth Press?

[@genghisgalahad8465]

Bringing likes to 100! 🎉 💯 I'm here for Sundogs & Rainbows, the double album by the duo, Aristotle & Plato!

[@therongjr]

Aristotle gets a lot of hate, but I love that he turned the idea of Plato's "Theory of Forms" on its head: we abstract categories from experiencing the physical world instead of recognizing categories because they reflect Platonic Ideals. I often wonder how Christianity would be different nowadays if it was not so strongly influenced by Neoplatonism . . . (Please don't make fun of me if what I'm saying doesn't make any sense.)

[@rouslanrouslan2677]

Plato's "divine forms" make a comeback if you progress far enough into Aristotelian metaphysics and realize that nature, thought, etc., are all eventually derivative of the unmoved mover, which creates and sustains the world as we know it. Aristotle's "immanent forms" were just a more systematic way of explaining participation in forms.

[@bobhope5114]

Manly P. Hall covers this extensively.

[@david-jr5fn]

It is curious however that metals forms in the Earth in veins which are almost like the roots of a tree. It gives the impression that like the tree it is a living thing which is growing

[@codyr144]

Where then did the more "modern" application of alchemy in the mystical sense come from? How did alchemy go from turning lead in to gold in a literal sense to something metaphysical and a transformation of the spirit/Self?

[@iachtulhu1420]

Search through this channel - it wasn't so long ago that genealogy of invention of spiritual alchemy was described by dr. Sledge. It certainly isn't the whole picture, though.

[@team1275]

Oh...come on Justine! Give my hero a break😊!

[@Lightning_Lance]

This is so cool. I would have definitely believed the theory if I was living in the middle ages and heard of it, it's so logical. And if I was rich I would've probably died breathing in mercury vapor while trying to make gold or something.

[@Valdagast]

I mean, Aristotle and the pre-Socratics were among the first people to ask these questions. It would be surprising if they got things right.

[@joshuahillerup4290]

I have it as a bit of a side project to try to find anything that Aristotle didn't get wrong. I haven't been successful so far

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Despite everything he would certainly wrong for the right reasons and I think that matters enormously

[@joshuahillerup4290]

@@TheEsotericaChannel I do wish we had his writings meant for public consumption still

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Apparently his dialogues were extremely well written and very funny - it's a real pity they are lost. But we're lucky to have anything. Everything of Aristotle that survives survived in one Roman set of manuscripts.

[@durnsidh6483]

Maybe his law of non-contradiction? He seems to have gotten that right.

[@AzraNoxx]

Maybe some of his engineering content? Unless that was apocryphal?

[@PlanetDeLaTourette]

7:20 Pillars of earth is like turtles all the way down. They were looking for something solid. Same way in the other direction. Pillars of heaven. The hieroglyph for sky also seeks to touch down, it seems. Stuff has to lean on stuff. Or at least float on water. All aboard the solar bark!

[@gregcampwriter]

I'm pleased to say that LibriVox has Meterology as an audiobook.

[@tomwhaley3335]

I gotta cop the esoterica tee shirt

[@jamesnomos8472]

I'm glad to be learning about how the scientific(?) world worked conceptually before modern science, as a physics major. I was taught to laugh as how wrong Aristotle was, but it's really satisfying to learn why people took him seriously regardless. It's a gradual process for me of understanding that the very idea of of "systematic explanation" had to be identified and invented. Before that, there was scattered folk and craft knowledge (often deep but narrow), but just reaching the point of "all has common explanation" is an act of genius. It helps tamp down the arrogance of mocking the wrongness of their explanations, when you realise they were still figuring out the concept of explanation itself. Dr Sledge, would you happen to know a good resource that digs into the deep history of pre-modern science (for a non-expert in the field), that helps give a strong understanding of the path of the conceptual innovations involved and why they were breakthroughs? So much popular discussion seems tainted with hindsight, and fails to situate us in the context of the time.

[@DefaultUser61]

This one really went crazy with the big words

[@jonyspinoza3310]

🌞

[@MsRickylynn]

I’m out of kidneys. I laughed sooo hard. Thank you, Dr!

[@dreadmoc12]

Aristotle can rest in peace. Long after his Theory of Everything, men are still happy to publish hair brained eyedeas. I applaud them all, it's awesome to hear the theories of others, even if they are slightly dated and... wrong.

[@destry5250]

Sell kidneys-- study aristolian alchemy. Got it!

[@illegalwiretransfer1457]

It’s a prog album!?!? Omg dude I’m dyin you’re hilarious!

[@genghisgalahad8465]

Sublimate that 🧊 ice, Aristotle! 🔥 no, not the dry 🧊 iceThat'll burn! 😬

[@MarkMiner-ei6dv]

All hail the Stagirite, and the Spagyritic Art!

[@dio52]

And today I learned that sun dogs are a real thing, not just a funky turn of phrase made up by Neil Peart.