ɪnðə nˈiːoʊhɜːmˈɛɾɪsˌɪst ɪntˌɜːpɹɪtˈeɪʃən, bˈoʊθ ðə tɹænsmjuːtˈeɪʃən ʌv kˈɑːmən mˈɛɾəlz ˌɪntʊ ɡˈoʊld ænd ðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsəl pˌænɐsˈiːə ɑːɹ hˈɛld tə sˈɪmbəlˌaɪz ˌɛvəlˈuːʃən fɹʌm ɐn ɪmpˈɜːfɛkt, dɪzˈiːzd, kɚɹˈʌptᵻbəl, ænd ɪfˈɛmɚɹəl stˈeɪt təwˈɔːɹd ɐ pˈɜːfɛkt, hˈɛlθi, ɪŋkɚɹˈʌptᵻbəl, ænd ˌɛvɚlˈæstɪŋ stˈeɪt, sˌoʊ ðə fɪlˈɑːsəfɚz stˈoʊn ðˈɛn ɹˌɛpɹᵻzˈɛntᵻd ɐ mˈɪstɪk kˈiː ðæt wʊd mˌeɪk ðɪs ˌɛvəlˈuːʃən pˈɑːsᵻbəl.
In the Neo-Hermeticist interpretation, both the transmutation of common metals into gold and the universal panacea are held to symbolize evolution from an imperfect, diseased, corruptible, and ephemeral state toward a perfect, healthy, incorruptible, and everlasting state, so the philosopher's stone then represented a mystic key that would make this evolution possible.