Hermeticism

Hermeticism, also called Hermetism,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeticism#cite_note-1" >[1]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeticism#cite_note-2" >[2]</a> is a religious and philosophical tradition based primarily upon<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudepigrapha" title="Pseudepigrapha" >pseudepigraphical writings</a> attributed to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermes_Trismegistus" title="Hermes Trismegistus" >Hermes Trismegistus</a> ("Thrice Great").<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeticism#cite_note-3" >[3]</a> These writings have greatly influenced the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_esotericism" title="Western esotericism" >Western esoteric tradition</a> and were considered to be of great importance during both the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance" title="Renaissance" class="mw-redirect" >Renaissance</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeticism#cite_note-4" >[4]</a> and the<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reformation" title="Reformation" class="mw-redirect" >Reformation</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeticism#cite_note-5" >[5]</a> The tradition claims descent from a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisca_theologia" title="Prisca theologia" >prisca theologia</a>, a doctrine which affirms that a single, true <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theology" title="Theology" >theology</a>exists which is present in all religions and was given by God to man in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_antiquity" title="Classical antiquity" >antiquity</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeticism#cite_note-Yates.2C_F.1964.2C_pp_14-6" >[6]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeticism#cite_note-Hanegraaff.2C_W.J.1998.2C_p_360-7" >[7]</a>

Many Christian writers, including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Waldo_Emerson" title="Ralph Waldo Emerson" >Emerson</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactantius" title="Lactantius" >Lactantius</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_of_Aquinas" title="Thomas of Aquinas" class="mw-redirect" >Thomas of Aquinas</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine" title="Augustine" class="mw-redirect" >Augustine</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giordano_Bruno" title="Giordano Bruno" >Giordano Bruno</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marsilio_Ficino" title="Marsilio Ficino" >Marsilio Ficino</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommaso_Campanella" title="Tommaso Campanella" >Campanella</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Pico_della_Mirandola" title="Giovanni Pico della Mirandola" >Giovanni Pico della Mirandola</a> considered Hermes Trismegistus to be a wise pagan prophet who foresaw the coming of Christianity.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeticism#cite_note-8" >[8]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeticism#cite_note-9" >[9]</a>

An account of how Hermes Trismegistus received the name "Thrice Great" is derived from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_Tablet" title="Emerald Tablet" >The Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus</a>, wherein it is stated that he knew the three parts of the wisdom of the whole universe.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeticism#cite_note-10" >[10]</a> The three parts of the wisdom are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alchemy" title="Alchemy" >alchemy</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrology" title="Astrology" >astrology</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theurgy" title="Theurgy" >theurgy</a>.

The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poimandres" title="Poimandres" >Poimandres</a>, from which Marsilio Ficino formed his opinion, states that "They called him Trismegistus because he was the greatest philosopher and the greatest priest and the greatest king."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeticism#cite_note-11" >[11]</a> The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suda" title="Suda" >Suda</a> (10th century) states that "He was called Trismegistus on account of his praise of the trinity, saying there is one divine nature in the trinity."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeticism#cite_note-12" >[12]</a>

Much of the importance of Hermeticism arises from its connection with the development of science during the time from 1300 to 1600 A.D. The prominence that it gave to the idea of influencing or controlling nature led many scientists to look to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occult" title="Occult" >magic</a> and its allied arts (e.g., alchemy, astrology) which, it was thought, could put Nature to the test by means of experiments. Consequently it was the practical aspects of Hermetic writings that attracted the attention of scientists.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeticism#cite_note-13" >[13]</a>

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton" title="Isaac Newton" >Isaac Newton</a> placed great faith in the concept of an unadulterated, pure, ancient doctrine, which he studied vigorously to aid his understanding of the physical world.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeticism#cite_note-14" >[14]</a> Many of Newton's manuscripts—most of which are still unpublished<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeticism#cite_note-15" >[15]</a>—detail his thorough study of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_Hermeticum" title="Corpus Hermeticum" class="mw-redirect" >Corpus Hermeticum</a>, writings said to have been transmitted from ancient times, in which the secrets and techniques of influencing the stars and the forces of nature were revealed.

Hermeticism

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