Hmmm - well I've checked in my dictionary and with family and friends and nobody can find a reference that uses philosophy in terms of magic.

HOWEVER My (very large) dictionary does give a definition for the philosopher's stone - which is ' a stone or substance thought by alchemists to be capable of turning base metals into gold.'

Hence JK wrote a book about a concept that had existed through European history. Alchemy was the forefather of modern chemistry.


It's a pity the name of the book was changed - the same happened to the Phillip Pullman book - in the UK it was Northern Lights, in the US the book and film were the Golden Compass.

They do say that in 200 years Americans and Brits won't be able to understand each other - two nations divided by a common language!