On Mon, 2003-02-03 at 21:46, Pigeon wrote: > Alchemy is an interesting example... Of course, alchemy itself is > possible, because people used to do it. They were called alchemists. > The fact that they never achieved their fabled goals is because the > discipline they were following was mostly a pile of mystical bollocks > with very little scientific method. Now, we know that it is possible > to turn lead into gold, but it is not currently practical to do it on > more than the minutest scale. To extend one's lifespan is not Actually, an interesting point of note is the fact that alchemists sought to transmute LEAD into gold, and not something like helium into gold. So obviously, intentionally or not, they had some basic knowledge of atomic mass. (Probably a rudimentary one based on the observations of physical mass, but an understanding none the less.) That, in turn, rather dismisses the point of this being "mystical rhetoric" and, instead, brings it into the realm of scientific pursuits. -Alex
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