Albertus Magnus’ alchemy is a subject that has attracted the attention of the scholars since the early decades of the 20th century. Yet, the research that has been conducted this far is characterised by its non philosophical character. As a matter of fact, the previous studies approached Albertus’ alchemy either in terms of history of science or of intellectual history. In this paper, I focus on Albertus’ definition of alchemical transmutation that is found in his De mineralibus and I analyze (...) it in terms of his theory of creation and of his theory of matter. Therefore, I show whether a re-creation of a metal is in accordance with Albertus’ philosophy and congruently I bring forth the Aristotle Graecus and the Aristotle Latinus that are found as background in his alchemical theory of transmutation. Ultimately this paper aims to show that the aforementioned theory is not an arbitrary statement from Albertus’ part, but the result of a serious philosophical endeavour. (shrink)

Se examina cómo, para Alberto Magno, la materia del hilemorfismo como pura potencia no permite explicar el cambio sustancial, por lo cual redefine los principios metafísicos del aristotelismo. Considera necesario que la forma sustancial preexista como forma incoada en la materia prima, para que el cambio sea continuo y teleológico. Estas formas incoadas, llamadas formae materiae o formae partis se comportan como habitudo y virtus formativa, y actualizan únicamente la materia, no la totalidad del compuesto. The article examines how, according (...) to Albert the Great, the matter of hylomorphism as pure potentiality does not allow the explanation of substantial change, whereby he redefines the Aristotelian metaphysical principles. He considers it necessary that substantial form pre-exists as a form initiated in the prime matter for change to be continuous and teleological. These initiated forms -called formae materiae or formae partis- behave as habitudo and virtus formativa, and they only actualize matter -not the compound as a whole. (shrink)

Se examina cómo, para Alberto Magno, la materia del hilemorfismo como pura potencia no permite explicar el cambio sustancial, por lo cual redefine los principios metafísicos del aristotelismo. Considera necesario que la forma sustancial pre-exista como forma incoada en la materia prima, para que el cambio sea continuo y teleológico. Estas formas incoadas, llamadas formae materiae o formae partis se comportan como habitudo y virtus formativa, y actualizan únicamente la materia, no la totalidad del compuesto.