Die Alchemie wird heute in New-Age-Kreisen oft in einem ausgesprochen positiven Licht gesehen, da sie ein bedeutendes Potential zur Überbrückung von Gegensätzen zwischen Mensch und Natur zu beinhalten scheint. In Peter Ackroyds Roman The House of Doctor Dee erfolgt allerdings keine einseitig positive Darstellung der Alchemie. Indem er das Vorhaben eines machtbesessenen Alchemisten, einen Homunkulus zu schaffen, in seinem Roman aufgreift, setzt er sich kritisch mit der Alchemie und ihrem Erbe für die moderne Gesellschaft auseinander.

The late modern and postmodern period can be characterised as a time of cultural crisis which emerged from the recognition of present ecological, military and technological catastrophes. In search for impulses to overcome this crisis alchemy has been rediscovered, especially in New-Age groups. The potential of alchemy here is mostly related to its holistic world view which bridges the modern gap between man, nature and God. This view on alchemy is only one side of the coin. The other side is that alchemists longed to reveal the secrets of nature in order to imitate natural processes in their laboratories. Thereby, the strivings of the alchemists seem to have paved the way for projects of modern science. This, at least, is the view Peter Ackroyd puts forth in his novel The House of Doctor Dee (1993). In the book the protagonist John Dee is depicted as an estranged alchemist who compares in many ways with modern scientists. His thirst for absolute knowledge and power is the driving force behind his actions which culminate in his project to create a homunculus. Following the story line, I will discuss the far-reaching consequences for our time, on an individual and social level, o f the homunculus project which began in the 16th century. In the course I will raise the question whether our society might be compared to a homunculus. I will further discuss the problem of how to deal responsibly with theories of the past and lastly focus on the potential of alchemy today