Roger Bacon (c. 1219 - 1292) is a Franciscan friar and fiery figure in medieval and later science and philosophy. He's known for his connection between science and spirituality, use of science to reveal spiritual mysteries. and the discovery of gunpowder.
The Opus Majus and Opus Tertium include earliest European accounts of a mixture with the components of gunpowder. Bacon bases this on a demonstration involving Chinese firecrackers, which may have been brought by traveling Franciscans.
A passage reads:
"We have an example of these things (that act on the senses) in [the sound and fire of] that children's toy which is made in many [diverse] parts of the world; i.e. a device no bigger than one's thumb.
From the violence of that salt called saltpeter [together with sulfur and willow charcoal, combined into a powder] so horrible a sound is made by the bursting of a thing so small, no more than a bit of parchment [around it], that we find [the ear assaulted by a noise] exceeding the roar of strong thunder and a flash brighter than the most brilliant lightning ..."
Bacon asserts science and spirituality are compatible and connected. Using evidence and reasoning to explore esoteric concepts like "Sapientia" or "Divine Wisdom," he questions the division between material and metaphysical realms.
He aims to show in the Opus Majus and subsequent works the connections between spirituality and science. Through science, he asserts spiritual concepts like "Sapientia" or "Divine Wisdom" can be logically expounded.
Exploring the natural world with curiosity and wonder can reveal insights beyond traditional knowledge. Pursuing "Sapientia" harmoniously combines scientific investigation with spiritual enlightenment.
Medieval European alchemy is based on the four classical elements of Empedocles - fire, water, air, earth. Of these, everything is made. The fifth element, aether, is added by Aristotle, and becomes an important component of medieval alchemy.
The Letter on the Secret Workings of Art and Nature and on the Vanity of Magic dismisses necromancy as fake. It retains Bacon's alchemical recipes, such as those pertaining to creation of a philosopher's stone and possibly gunpowder.
It also includes several passages about hypothetical flying machines and submarines, attributing their first use to Alexander the Great. On the Vanity of Magic debunks esoteric claims in Bacon's time, explaining them through natural phenomena.
Roger Bacon promotes a more holistic understanding of the universe, emphasizing the connection of phenomena. His focus on science reveals spiritual truths and inspires scholars and seekers to explore life's mysteries with an open-minded approach.
He studies Galen's medicine, that of the Four Humors, tracing it through the Chaldeans, Greeks, and Arabs, with references to Avicenna's translations. Despite his negative portrayal of Hermes Trismegistus, Bacon's work is influenced by Hermetic thought.
His support for Hermetic philosophy is apparent in his citations of the alchemical text known as the Secretum Secretorum or Secret of Secrets, in his Opus Majus. The Secretum Secretorum contains information about the Hermetic Emerald Tablet.
The significance of Hermetic philosophy in Bacon's writings is seen in his references to classic Hermetic literature. Citing the Corpus Hermeticum, a dialogue between Hermes and Greek medicine god Asclepius, Bacon aligns with spiritual aspects of alchemy.
Bacon's Opus Majus is primarily a compilation of sciences meant to pave the way towards achieving "Sapientia." He places great emphasis on alchemy, considering it the most vital science.
Bacon's cryptic treatment of alchemy is influenced by the need for secrecy surrounding esoteric subjects in England at the time, his adherence to the alchemical tradition of using symbols and metaphors.
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