Alchemy and Witchcraft

[electro7bug]

Does alchemy really exists?

[d4rkcat]

In the minds of idiots, many silly things exist.

[electro7bug]

but alchemy is considered as metascience

[Teapot]

alchemy= transmuting an element from one to the other. started in midevil days (i think) with people trying to turn common materials into gold. Some modern day researchers have managed to convert a material into gold (forgot what they started with) but the process to convert it is WAY more expensive than the gold produced.

witchcraft... scientifically speaking. no, however i would not rule it out as being imaginary simple because we cannot quantify it.

[Kulverstukas]

Many things not proven or explained by science exist, or not. No one knows. That said, one cannot rule out for certain that alchemy is bullshit. Simply because if no one knows how to do it, doesn't mean it can't be done.

Just saying...

[proxx]

This is the realm of speculation, alchemy is the father of modern chemistry.
People used to fill the gaps with some mysctical force of influence, such forces exist but are quite well understood these days, before the basics of physics had enough foundation this would be the 'logical' understanding.
Turning lead into gold is something that could be done with theoretical physics only now we understand how difficult such a thing would be to achive, but magic.. gimme a break.

[electro7bug]

hmm.. im just interested with the elixir of life, some people claimed to drink some of it, thats why I tried to search it on google, read some of alchemy stuffs. . . hey, how about kinesis? They're magics too right? but it exists..

[Architect]

Telekinesis is actually not that far-fetched. Some people are able to sense magnetic fields, but it seems improbable to be able to manipulate them at will. But movies like 'Push' and 'Jump' are still fucking neat.

[lucid]

I appreciate science(because duh), and I appreciate facts. BUT, I also can't fucking stand people who deny the existence of everything that isn't explicitly proven by science. That's a level of arrogance that astounds me. Also, it's an incredibly dull way to live your life.

Not to mention that things that are proven by science are then later found to be incorrect, all the time. Point being, I believe in the world of the unseen(read my lucid dreaming tut and you'll see). Not to say that I believe in EVERYTHING, like Santa Claus and magic in its standard definition, but c'mon. Do you really think science has everything figured out? Science is basically a human construct, and humans are extremely fallible.

[Architect]

I'm a firm believer that there are two worlds: the world of explainable events and the world of unexplainable and undeniable events. One exists in the actual reality we live (or think so anyway), the other is not proven to exist but there is evidence all around us, albeit incredibly profound and obscure. You see things that you can explain logically and attribute it to reality. But when something happens that you can't explain, it's an obvious lie or you choose to believe it at face value because you witnessed it or something. It's all a matter of perspective. I could get into a huge rant but I really don't think that's the point.

[fable]

I think the word "exists" is the wrong term to use here. Of course it exists (or at least has existed) or there wouldn't be a word for it. Maybe what is really being asked is if alchemy and witchcraft are practicable.

[z3ro]

Of course it exists (or at least has existed) or there wouldn't be a word for it.

Seriously. 

[fable]

Seriously. 

Yes, seriously. Can you think of a word for something that doesn't "exist" or is the definition of the term exist up for debate now?

[Architect]

Yes, seriously. Can you think of a word for something that doesn't "exist" or is the definition or the term exist up for debate now?

I don't think I understand fully, please elaborate.


The word existent has antonyms, one is "nonexistent", probably most obvious of the lot.
But what does the definition of the word "exist" have to do with alchemy and witchcraft?

[fable]

I was responding to z3ro's comment. It came off to me as sarcastic so I was offering that we re-define the term exist if I was wrong about the intention of electro7bug's post actually asking if it is practicable. (I was being sarcastic too, which if I want to be honest is a defense mechanism) I'm moody today. Just ignore me.