About the author
Matt Goldish is a historian whose Science and Specters at Salem (Routledge, 2024) looks again at the 1692 Salem witch trials, shifting attention away from the social dynamics between accusers and accused and toward the intellectual formation of the judges themselves. The book asks why men trained in the science and theology of their day accepted spectral evidence and other contested forms of proof, treating the trials as a case study in how learned judgment can go wrong under pressure. Rather than retelling the familiar narrative of the accusations, Goldish's approach is historiographical, examining the judges' education and the intellectual currents, including natural philosophy and demonology, that shaped what counted as credible testimony in a courtroom. The book is aimed at readers interested in witch trials as intellectual and legal history rather than as folklore.
📖 Where to start with Matt Goldish
💬 What our editors say about Matt Goldish's books
“Goldish offers a rigorous, albeit dense, examination of the philosophical roots of the Salem witch trials, focusing heavily on the anti-Sadducee movement and its impact on judicial evidence. While intellectually robust, this book…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Science and Specters at Salem Goldish, Matt
“Goldish delivers a compelling, albeit academically dense, analysis that recontextualizes the Salem trials through the lens of elite philosophy rather than mere social hysteria. The argument regarding anti-Sadduceeism is…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Science and Specters at Salem Goldish, Matt
