Avicennian natural philosophy

[Paul Ferguson]

"This thesis aims at clarifying how alchemists and non-alchemists studied and discussed alchemy in medieval Islam. In order to attain this objective, we first review and reinterpret the accomplishments of Muslim and pre-Islamic alchemists, as well as multiple types of classification of alchemy by non-alchemist authors. Also, we examine in detail non-alchemists’ theoretical discussions of alchemy, which had a large influence on the development of alchemy in medieval Islam, as well as discussions by alchemists. Finally, in order to clarify both stances, we investigate al-Ṭughrāʾī’s Ḥaqāʾiq al-istishhād, which compares alchemists’ theoretical foundation concerning alchemical theories with that of non-alchemists."

Thesis by Takatomo Inoue.

https://escholarship.mcgill.ca/concern/theses/rx913s30p