the scorcerers stone

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 75611

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Kathryn Cawte" <kcawte at b...> wrote:
> 
>  
> bboy_mn:
>  
>  
> Master Alchemists do not give up knowledge of the Philosopher's 
> Stone easily.  ...the knowledge of the Stone to someone that they 
> feel has a sufficient degree of spiritual enlightenment.

>   
>  
>  Me -
> Since there has only ever, as far as we know, been one Philosopher's
> Stone, it seems a bit of a leap to say that that is how Master 
> Alchemists in general would act....
> Kathryn


bboy_mn: 
The key to your statement is 'as far as we know'. The Philosopher's
Stone is known across Europe, Arabia, and Asian according to the
documented history of the Philosopher's Stone. We must remember that
JKR didn't invent the Stone, it has it's own history dating back many
  hundreds of years. When JKR brings in existing myth and mythology,
she is usually pretty true to the legend. House-elves are very close
to Browies. Dragon, Gryffins, Hypogriphs, etc... are all existing
legends, and she is reasonable true to those legends. So, I see no
reason why she would deviate from the long existing history of alchemy
and the legend of the Philosopher's Stone. Given that I feel
comfortable drawing those legends, as indicators of how things work in
 JKR's wizard world. 

Also, the text the Hermione reads refers to Flamel as having the only
Stone in existance; but I can't read that as absolute. It has to be
interpreted as the only Stone known by the wizard world to exist. 

You probably know that Nicholas Flamel was a real person, who is
thought to have actually created a Stone.

If you were knowledgable in the legends of alchemy and the Stone, then
you would know that the Stone and it's pursuit are a religious
persuit. You can never gain the wisdom necessary to create the stone
unless you have reach the necessary level of spiritual enlightenment.
Regarding Nicholas Flamel, his knowledge and insight into the creation
of the stone came out of ancient Jewish tradition. 

Part of the enlightenment is to realize that the money and eternal
earthly life mean nothing, and so only those who have reach the stage
of enlightenment can be trusted with the stone. To what extent
Dumbledore is enlightened, I can not say, but he himself indicates
that choosing the money and life are far from the best path; and given
this, may be sufficient for Flamel to trust the stone into
Dumbledore's keeping, but that trust doesn't necessarily include
making and using the stone.

Just a few thoughts.

bboy_mn