
Contents
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Ge Hong’s Alchemy: A Natural Study of the Many Ge Hong’s Alchemy: A Natural Study of the Many
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The Tradition of Instrumental Alchemy The Tradition of Instrumental Alchemy
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The Golden Liquor The Golden Liquor
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The Returned Elixir The Returned Elixir
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Alchemy beyond Chemistry: The Induction of Change and Life Alchemy beyond Chemistry: The Induction of Change and Life
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The Separation of Change and Life in Inorganic Chemistry The Separation of Change and Life in Inorganic Chemistry
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Alchemical Change as Cosmogonical Change Alchemical Change as Cosmogonical Change
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Induction Induction
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Alchemy and Physics: Two Forms of Cosmogony Alchemy and Physics: Two Forms of Cosmogony
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The “Nine-Cycle Elixir” and Its Internal Clock The “Nine-Cycle Elixir” and Its Internal Clock
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Alchemical Embryogenesis and Structural Layers of the Universe Alchemical Embryogenesis and Structural Layers of the Universe
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Alchemical Model of the One and the Many Alchemical Model of the One and the Many
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Plato’s Mathematical Universe Plato’s Mathematical Universe
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Geometrical Interpretation of Empedocles’ Elements Geometrical Interpretation of Empedocles’ Elements
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Greek Four Elements and Chinese Five Phases: The Issue of Interchange Greek Four Elements and Chinese Five Phases: The Issue of Interchange
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Geometrical Continuity Geometrical Continuity
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Being Defines Becoming, or Becoming Refines Being? Being Defines Becoming, or Becoming Refines Being?
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Change Change
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The Soul: The Cause of Change The Soul: The Cause of Change
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Change: A Product of an Unchanging Principle or a Principle Itself? Change: A Product of an Unchanging Principle or a Principle Itself?
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Motion and Rest Motion and Rest
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The Architecture of Matter The Architecture of Matter
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The Mingling of Empedocles’ Limited Pluralism and Atomism The Mingling of Empedocles’ Limited Pluralism and Atomism
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Two Right Triangles Two Right Triangles
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From the Two to the Four From the Two to the Four
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The Process of Transformation The Process of Transformation
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The Creation of the Many The Creation of the Many
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From the Four to the Many by Unbalance From the Four to the Many by Unbalance
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Cosmogonical Change Is Not Physical Variation Cosmogonical Change Is Not Physical Variation
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Reason and Necessity Reason and Necessity
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Summary Summary
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Cite
Abstract
This chapter explores two distinct natural philosophies: Ge Hong's alchemical universe and Plato's geometrical world. It begins with a critique of the “alchemy as chemistry” thesis in Daoist studies, intending to free alchemy from the need to explain itself by the means of modern science. The chapter then introduces the “alchemy-cosmogony” approach while placing Ge Hong's instrumental studies of minerals in dialogue with Plato's geometrical structures of matter. Despite the fact that neither Daoists nor Platonists would normally venture into the textual tradition of the other, the one and many question has brought them together through the investigation of two overlapping issues: how two distinctive forms of ontology shape two different forms of natural philosophy, and how different ontologies also give rise to different epistemologies.
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