The phenomenon of Western alchemy in the social and philosophical dimension.

Abstract

In the dissertation, the author proposes a complex social and philosophical model of the Western alchemy phenomenon. The specifics of this phenomenon in the context of a number of social consciousness forms as well as collective mental settings of the East and the West are considered. The complex of sociocultural existence conditions of the phenomenon is described. The author defines a significant axiological and essential feature of alchemy as a desire of the breakthrough from the discrete deterministic world to the sphere of infinite. The dialectical development factors of the Western alchemy are considered. The existence way conception of this phenomenon in the Ukrainian Baroque sociocultural area within the context of European intellectual development trends is reconsidered. A rise of the social relevance of alchemy in the transitional periods of the rationality crisis and axiological alterations is shown. The significant sociocultural adaptability of the phenomenon is revealed. It is based particularly on the “conservative innovation” principle whose manifestations are studied by means of hermeneutical analysis. The author states that the mentioned sociocultural adaptability provides an existence of alchemy as an underground subculture in the modern society.