Cabir b. On Hayyan's Theory of Object and Causation

Abstract

The basis of Islamic alchemy and matter theory is found in the works of J & amacr;bir ibn Hayy & acirc;n (d. 200/815). J & amacr;bir developed an element theory similar to Aristotle's system, but he interpreted matter and substance in a different way by transferring the basis of the theory from elements to qualities. In J & amacr;bir's system, qualities are more often expressed by the term natures (tab & amacr;'i'). In J & amacr;bir's thought, four natures precede the four elements, and as a result of the combination of two different natures with the substance each time, four different elements with different qualities occur. In J & amacr;bir, the primary bodies of the natural world are no longer the four Empedoclean elements but the four natures; air, water, earth and fire are made up of these natures. Thus, J & amacr;bir gave the four primary Aristotelian qualities the role of genuine elements by making them tangible, independent, and corporeal entities. According to J & amacr;bir, the operation of transforming (transmutation) of ajs & amacr;d such as iron, copper, tin, and lead, which is the main purpose of the science of alchemy, into silver and gold is carried out within the framework of the science of m & imacr;z & amacr;n . The core of this transformation is based on an idea of causality in which the four natures and their specific proportions and measures are at the center. With the idea of causality that allows chemical transformation, J & amacr;bir also succeeded in drawing the possibility of transformation in alchemy from the inorganic world to the organic world to a very wide range of entities. In this study, J & amacr;bir's thoughts on body, substance and experimental causality will be discussed by examining J & amacr;bir's corpus through primary sources.