August Strindberg's chemical and alchemical studies

Abstract

Editor's Note. When chemistry "bonds" to the humanities, certain unusual "reaction products" can result. This is especially so when a gifted artist like Strindberg tries his hand at chemistry (and alchemy) guided largely by romantic preconceptions and an a priori rejection of "establishment" science. It is of value to everyone to understand the motivations of this approach as well as the results; after all, even today we find some segments of the population rebelling against science in the most irrational way, although (so far) not with the flair of Strindberg. How are we to handle our students as they check their daily horoscopes in the newspaper? Are they proceeding from some of the same assumptions as this troubled genius? Can we show them what is wrong with these assumptions? George Kauffman's paper, an extended study of Strindberg's work and motivations, provides many of the facts and ideas (using just this one example) on which answers to these questions can be built. When we bridge the "two cultures," we must honor the respective methods of art and science and not impose those of one on the other, for then only failure can result.