Ontological explanation of the mesocosm in Hassan ibn Zāhed Kermāni's alchemy

From a positivist point of view, philosophy of science is attributed to modern sciences like physics and biology; while traditional sciences such as alchemy have been ignored. Avoiding this presentism, the aim of present study is to investigate the foundations of alchemy of Hassan ibn Zāhed Kermāni, Persian alchemist of 8th/14th century. His compilations contain reasonable and coherent alchemical thought. Identification of alchemy as the mesocosm (middle universe) is principal in his thought and specifically, appliance of this nomenclature formed his alchemy`s framework. In this article, first, we`ve presented some evidences from Islamic literature, other than Kermāni`s writings, implying the concept of middle being. Then we conducted a hermeneutic approach in which Kermāni`s text is used to interpret his four reasons for knowing alchemy as the mesocosm. In his opinion, alchemy has throughout homologies with mankind as the microcosm and also with macrocosm of the universe. Finally it is demonstrated that correlations between these tripartite configuration of Kermāni`s alchemical ontology, all are based on properties of four classical elements including earth, water, air and fire. In other word, role-playing of four elements within all these three realms validates the correspondence between them.