Alchemy Quote by Herbert Butterfield
“Concerning alchemy it is more difficult to discover the actual state of things, in that the historians who specialise in this field seem sometimes to be under the wrath of God themselves; for, like those who write of the Bacon-Shakespeare controversy or on Spanish politics, they seem to become tinctured with the kind of lunacy they set out to describe.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: History and Historiography, 1937
Historians of alchemy often become as obsessed as the subject they study, losing objectivity.
In simple terms: Historians can become biased when studying fringe topics.
Key Takeaway
Maintain critical distance in research.
Themes
history
bias
alchemy
objectivity
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic research
- historical analysis
- media criticism
Key Concepts
historiography
confirmation bias
epistemology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can scholars guard against becoming what they study?
- What methods ensure objectivity?
A Different Perspective
Bias may stem from personal belief systems, not just subject matter.
![“Everybody can close their eyes, picture a dream house or a perfect place [where] they'd like to have a picnic. But actually creating it - how do you create something from nothing? Anyone who's creative understands that that's the magic, that's the alchemy.” quote by Billy Corgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1ab/billy-corgan-1014_alchemy_everybody-can-close-their-eyes-picture-a_86053.jpg)
