Chemistry+&+Paracelsus

Paracelsus

Paracelsus was a Renaissance physician, botanist, alchemist, astrologer, and general occultist. His philosophy revolved around the Greek concept of the “Four Elements,” Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire. He also introduced the perspective that, on another level, the cosmos was comprised of three spiritual substances: the “tria prima” of Mercury, Sulfur and Salt. Paracelsus didn’t see those elements as actual elements, he saw them spiritually, he believed they made up almost every living and non-living thing in the universe. He believed that these elements gave every object its outer appearance and inner existence, essentially the soul. The tria prima also defined the human identity. Sulfur embodied the soul, (the emotions and desires); Salt represented the body; Mercury epitomized the spirit (imagination, moral judgment, and the higher mental faculties). By understanding the chemical nature of the tria prima, a physician could discover the means of curing disease.