Though the modern world views alchemy as little more than witchcraft and an inherent hindrance to progress, in reality alchemy may have been a precursor to modern chemistry. Alchemy has had an influence on a vast range of scientific discoveries. For example, alchemy’s focus on the transformation of substances informed later studies of chemical reactions. This paper examines the arguments of different historians who studied alchemy. Twentieth century historian E. J. Holmyard posits that early chemistry was not influenced by alchemy whatsoever. In his view, alchemy was an unscientific distraction. On the other hand, there are historians like Bruce T. Morgan, who argues that alchemy was a legitimate discipline at the time, one that had influence on other budding scientific disciplines, and chemistry in particular. Another researcher, William R. Newman, further argues that alchemist Robert Boyle was a notable influence on Isaac Newton. Without the writings of Boyle, Newton may not have discovered the law of universal gravitation. Also, Robert Boyle’s corpuscular theory, which states that matter is made of tiny particles called corpuscles, might have helped along the discovery of atoms. Alchemy in general and Robert Boyle’s work in particular were legitimate intellectual pursuits that informed later scientific work.
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Though the modern world views alchemy as little more than witchcraft and an inherent hindrance to progress, in reality alchemy may have been a precursor to modern chemistry. Alchemy has had an influence on a vast range of scientific discoveries. For example, alchemy’s focus on the transformation of substances informed later studies of chemical reactions. This paper examines the arguments of different historians who studied alchemy. Twentieth century historian E. J. Holmyard posits that early chemistry was not influenced by alchemy whatsoever. In his view, alchemy was an unscientific distraction. On the other hand, there are historians like Bruce T. Morgan, who argues that alchemy was a legitimate discipline at the time, one that had influence on other budding scientific disciplines, and chemistry in particular. Another researcher, William R. Newman, further argues that alchemist Robert Boyle was a notable influence on Isaac Newton. Without the writings of Boyle, Newton may not have discovered the law of universal gravitation. Also, Robert Boyle’s corpuscular theory, which states that matter is made of tiny particles called corpuscles, might have helped along the discovery of atoms. Alchemy in general and Robert Boyle’s work in particular were legitimate intellectual pursuits that informed later scientific work.