Illusion via Plato and Alchemy

 

Illusion via Plato and Alchemy


In previous posts, we learned that DesCartes's proof of his existence led to the question of the nature of that existence, i.e., the Materialist/Idealist question. Then we found that the logical answer to this question is that of the Idealist: The true existence is that of the mind, or soul; and the life of the body has the nature of illusion. Then we saw that this concept of the illusory nature of the material world is not only compatible with the doctrine of Maya, or Illusion, in Eastern mystical religions, but also with Christianity.

Here, we'll take a brief look at how this doctrine also relates to two other concepts: Plato's philosophy and alchemy. Plato is sometimes referred to as “The father of Idealism in philosophy”. For example, the “Allegory of the Cave” teaches the lesson of the illusory nature of the material world. This allegory concerns people in a cave who observe shadows on a wall that are the silhouettes of real people going about their daily affairs. Since this dram is the only thing they see, they have come to accept it as real to the extent that it has become their only reality. But then, one of them is led to turn and observe a light filtering in from above. The light is so bright that it is initially painful to his eyes. But as his eyes gradually become accustomed to the light, he is able to see the true world in its full glory. The shadows on the wall represent the material world, which is experienced as real, but is actually illusion.

We'll examine the subject of alchemy in considerable depth under the label Mysticism. But just one quote from a practitioner here should suffice to show its relation to the doctrine of the illusory material world versus the real world of mind, or soul: “Make the solid vaporous, and the vaporous solid.”


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