ɐn ɪmpˈoːɹtənt ɛɡzˈæmpəl ʌv ˈælkəmiz ɹˈuːts ɪn ɡɹˈiːk fɪlˈɑːsəfi, ɚɹˈɪdʒᵻnˌeɪɾᵻd baɪ ɛmpˈɛdɑːkəlz ænd dɪvˈɛləpt baɪ ˈæɹɪstˌɑːɾəl, wʌz ðæt ˈɔːl θˈɪŋz ɪnðə jˈuːnɪvˌɜːs wɜː fˈɔːɹmd fɹʌm ˈoʊnli fˈoːɹ ˈɛlɪmənts: ˈɜːθ, ˈɛɹ, wˈɔːɾɚ, ænd fˈaɪɚ.
An important example of alchemy's roots in Greek philosophy, originated by Empedocles and developed by Aristotle, was that all things in the universe were formed from only four elements: earth, air, water, and fire.