The Theory of Matter in the Ottoman Science

The most widespread and the simplest definition of matter can be summarized as everything that we eat, drink and perceive, and that occupies a place in space. Matter is the focus of study of phylosophy and science. In this light, both phylosophy and science aim at exposing the real structure of the physical world that lies beneath the level of regular perception. The earliest examples of this endeavour of exposition are seen around the 5th century B.C. and still continue to be generated today. As a precursor for chemistry, alchemy has been among the study fields focusing on matter, along with chemistry. In the chemistry works created between the 15th and 18th centuries by the Ottomans, we see that matter is treated as basic in alchemical theories, while the approach to matter throughout subsequent studies on modern chemistry appears to be subject to an ideational evolution. The theoretical genesis of the evolution in question is the work of Ali Çelebi of Iznik. The early examples of modern chemistry's considerations on matter can be seen in Abbas Vesim's works from the 18th century; then, with Hoca Ishak Efendi, a transition is made to the perception of matter in modern chemistry. The exposition of the motion of the theory of matter under the Ottomans is constituted by the exhibition of the fundamental steps of the evolution of alchemy into chemistry, which is a modern science field.

Keywords

Ottoman chemistry, theory of matter, Ottoman alchemy, history of chemistry, alchemy.