The Paracelsian Movement and the Pseudo-Paracelsian Texts: Eschatological Moments of the Reform Movement of the Early Modern German-Speaking Area

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K12971
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 01040:History of thought-related
• Research Institution: Seigakuin University
• Principal Investigator: Murase Amadeo 聖学院大学, 人文学部, 准教授 (40768503)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: パラケルスス主義 / 近世 / ドイツ語圏 / 偽書 / 終末論 / パラケルスス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Regarding the reform movement called "Paracelsianism" in the early modern period, where the currents of the Scientific Revolution were intertwined with those of the Reformation, this research has illuminated the religious characteristics of the movement as well as the importance of pseudonymous writings, known as "Pseudo-Paracelsian texts".
With the methodological approach to precisely determining the historical impact of the pseudonymous texts, this study has been able to complement an aspect of the reception history of Paracelsus that has not been sufficiently documented so far, specifically the history of the homunculus theory in the early modern period.
Furthermore, this research investigated the religious aspects embedded in the Paracelsianism, particularly its eschatological features. It examined these aspects among the followers of Paracelsus after his death (such as P. Link and O. Croll), and elucidated the influence of the pseudonymous writings within that context.

Free Research Field

科学思想史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は未開拓の文書群をとりあげることによって初期近代の未開拓領域への貢献を果たした。特に、学問の改革を目指したパラケルスス主義運動が、終末論的な議論を孕んでいたことは、この時代の科学と宗教との関係に新たな知見を加えるものである。また、初期近代のホムンクルス論の歴史は、当時の錬金術的な自然模倣・自然操作の観念が批判・排除されることによって、却って近代文学の素材（ゲーテ『ファウスト』）を準備するという科学思想史と文学史とを繋ぐ視点を提供する。これらの研究成果の一部は一般書店にも流通する書籍やインターネットなどの媒体においても発表され、本研究事業の社会的還元を試みた。