..

- Alchemy is a search for unifying principles steering humanity through a chaotic world.
- Alchemy occurs in a semi-literate world, only specialist can read or write, not the common person, hence Alchemical texts tend to have a high level of illustration.
- Alchemy may be mistaken for witchcraft or heresy which carry death penalty in many areas, hence it has a high level of secrecy.
- Many Alchemists sought the Philosophers Stone, which could turn lead to gold, giving an economic incentive for secrecy.
- Alchemists sought Hidden Knowledge, thus were open to foreign ideas, languages, and concepts.
- Alchemy looked to the past as the apex of civilization, seeking to recover "lost wisdom" as opposed to 21st century science that sees the future as the eventual source of "unknown wisdom."


For Monday Feb. 14, post a short piece with links, describing an alchemist, their contributions to humanity, their location and influences, and an example of a modern-day manifestation. Report any specialized technological knowledge, apparatus, or principles they may have developed. This piece must have scholastic merit, write well, conduct some research, cite sources, legitimate sources.