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syllabus
The cosmos according to Phillipus Aureolis
Theophrastus
Bombastus von Hohenheim (Paracelsus) (1490-1541)
1. Plotinian tripartate scheme of being: One,
Intellect,
Soul. Specifics: How Soul interacts with the physical
world:
2. Astra: (semina, Archei) An astrum is the
virtue
or activity essential to any object (compare with Plotinus'
seminal reasons). Astra precipitate from God and enter one of 4
wombs.
There they combine with the Tria Prima (mercury, sulpher, salt).
Out of the wombs, physical bodies are generated.
3. The four wombs ("matrices" or "mothers"): fire, air,
water, earth.
Terminology:
-
mysterium: "matrix" or "mother" - substrate in which
an object
is generated. Example: Milk is a mysterium of cheese and
butter.
Cheese is a mysterium of maggots and worms.
-
mysterium magnum: the Mother of all things; the
primitive
matrix.
-
4 wombs: the fundamental matrices created from the
mysterium
magnum via differentiation/separation.
-
Firey womb: activates growth; generates stars, planets,
meterological
phenomena.
-
Airey womb: nourishes; generates living, breathing
creatures;
primary source of “invisibles” such as spirits, fates, witchcraft,
dreams,
visions.
-
Watery womb: consumes; generates metals, minerals, salts;
primary
source of watery things such as fishes, coral, nymphs.
-
Earthy womb: fixes, solidifies; generates plants,
vegetation;
primary source of earthy things such as trees, animals, stones.
Key points:
(i) The wombs correspond to the 4 elements of Greek thought (see for
instance Aristotle's Cosmos). But the
wombs do not have essential properties. Fire can be cold and
moist.
They are no longer building blocks. An object is not a composite
of the 4 elements; rather, it is associated with just a single element;
namely, the one in which it was generated.
(ii) The wombs are dynamic; they are spiritual/functional
principles
and not material substances. To answer the question, What is an
object
made out of? is to answer the question, What is its function?
4. The Tria Prima. Paracelsus'
"elements".
They are principles and not substances.
-
Mercury: transformative agent, fluidity, volatility
-
Sulpher: binding agent between substance and
transformation,
combustibility
-
Salt: solidifying/substantiating agent
Example: When a piece of wood is burnt, the products reflect its
constitution:
-
Smoke: mercury (chaotic quality)
-
Flame: sulphur (binding agent; combustibility)
-
Ash: salt (coagulant)
5. Macrocosm/Microcosm. Paracelsus’
cosmos
is reflected in the human microcosm. The tripartate scheme of
being
reflects the Trinity. God has a single essence consisting of
three
"persons". Similarly, a human being consists of a single person
consisting
of three essences: spiritual, astral (soul), physical
(body).
The Trinity, and hence the human being, is reflected again in the Tria
Prima:
|
Trinity |
Human Being |
| sulphur |
Father |
soul |
| salt |
Son |
body |
| mercury |
Holy Spirit |
spirit |