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Occult Scientific Mentalities (Revised) — Occult Philosophy

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Occult Scientific Mentalities (Revised)

Name: Occult Scientific Mentalities (Revised)
Price: 39.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780521338363

✍️ Vickers, Brian

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

This compelling collection of essays meticulously re-examines the long-held assumption that the Scientific Revolution simply discarded occult practices. Instead, it argues for a far more intricate relationship, positing that two distinct mentalities—the occult and the scientific—coexisted and evolved in parallel until the late 17th century. Through detailed studies of figures like Kepler, Newton, Dee, and Fludd, this volume challenges traditional historical narratives, advocating for a nuanced understanding of how knowledge was pursued and categorized during a pivotal era. It forces a re-evaluation of the very foundations of modern scientific thought.

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Occult Philosophy

🏛 Cambridge University Press 📅 1986 📖 424 pages 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9780521338363

Fun Fact

This revised collection offers a truly sophisticated and nuanced perspective on the birth of modern science, challenging simplistic narratives with rigorous scholarship. It excels at illuminating the rich, often contradictory, intellectual currents of the Renaissance. While it may disappoint those seeking a straightforward 'magic to reason' story or a practical guide to arcane arts, it is essential reading for anyone serious about the history of ideas. This work firmly establishes itself as a cornerstone for understanding the complex interplay between esoteric traditions and the scientific revolution.

📝 Description: Occult Scientific Mentalities (Revised)

The essays in this volume present a collective study of one of the major problems in the recent history of science: To what extent did the occult 'sciences' (alchemy, astrology, numerology, and natural magic) contribute to the scientific revolution of the late Renaissance? These studies of major scientists (Kepler, Bacon, Mersenne, and Newton) and of occultists (Dee, Fludd, and Cardano), complemented by analyses of contemporary official and unofficial studies at Cambridge and Oxford and discussions of the language of science, combine to suggest that hitherto the relationship has been too crudely stated as a movement 'from magic to science'. In fact, two separate mentalities can be traced, the occult and the scientific, each having different assumptions, goals, and methodologies. The contributors call into question many of the received ideas on this topic, showing that the issue has been wrongly defined and based on inadequate historical evidence. They outline new ways of approaching and understanding a situation in which two radically different and, to modern eyes, incompatible ways of describing reality persisted side-by-side until the demise of the occult in the late seventeenth century. Their work, accordingly, sets the whole issue in a new light.

💎 Expert review

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💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

Vickers presents a compelling argument that demands careful attention from the reader. While the essays meticulously re-examine the relationship between magic and science, the academic tone may alienate casual readers seeking a narrative-driven history. This is not a light introduction to occultism but a dense scholarly collection requiring familiarity with early modern intellectual history. It does not suit those expecting practical magical instructions or a straightforward biography of famous alchemists. However, for historians and philosophers willing to engage with complex arguments about the coexistence of distinct mentalities, it provides a vital, rigorous, and thought-provoking re-evaluation of foundational scientific thought.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Scholars and enthusiasts of the Renaissance will find this text indispensable for its rigorous dismantling of the myth that science simply replaced occultism. Brian Vickers offers a nuanced perspective, revealing how figures like Kepler and Newton operated within frameworks that blended empirical inquiry with esoteric thought. Readers seeking to understand the complex cognitive landscape of the 17th century will gain profound insights into how knowledge was categorized and pursued. It is essential for those interested in the intellectual genealogy of modern science, offering a corrective to oversimplified historical accounts and inviting a deeper appreciation of the period's intricate philosophical tapestry.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

If you question conventional historical narratives and are fascinated by the intricate dance between reason and mysticism in the dawn of modern thought, this collection will illuminate new perspectives on the Renaissance intellectual landscape.

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

Vickers presents a compelling argument that demands careful attention from the reader. While the essays meticulously re-examine the relationship between magic and science, the academic tone may alienate casual readers seeking a narrative-driven history. This is not a light introduction to occultism but a dense scholarly collection requiring familiarity with early modern intellectual history. It does not suit those expecting practical magical instructions or a straightforward biography of famous alchemists. However, for historians and philosophers willing to engage with complex arguments about the coexistence of distinct mentalities, it provides a vital, rigorous, and thought-provoking re-evaluation of foundational scientific thought.

❓ Frequently asked questions

No, it clarifies that they represent distinct mentalities with differing goals and methodologies. However, it explores their complex interactions and parallel existence, moving beyond a simplistic 'magic to science' progression to a more nuanced historical understanding.

While scholarly in its rigor and depth, the essays are crafted to offer profound insights accessible to any serious reader curious about the true intellectual currents of the Renaissance and the origins of modern scientific thought, making it invaluable for both students and enthusiasts.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Redefining Science's Origins

This work deeply questions the conventional narrative of a clean break between magic and science. It reveals a complex, interwoven development where esoteric traditions were not merely dismissed, but actively shaped the intellectual landscape, prompting a re-examination of what truly constituted the genesis of modern scientific inquiry during the Renaissance.

Occult and Scientific Mentalities

The book's central thesis posits that rather than a progression, two distinct modes of thought—occult and scientific—operated concurrently. These mentalities possessed unique assumptions, goals, and methodologies for interpreting reality, demonstrating a parallel intellectual journey rather than a sequential one, which persisted for centuries.

Historical Re-evaluation

The contributors rigorously critique previous historical interpretations, highlighting how earlier analyses often oversimplified the dynamic between esoteric knowledge and nascent science. By presenting new evidence and fresh perspectives, the volume advocates for a more sophisticated, historically accurate understanding of this critical period in intellectual history, challenging long-standing misconceptions.

📜 Historical context

This volume emerges from a scholarly tradition that increasingly seeks to integrate esoteric and occult studies into a holistic understanding of intellectual history. It challenges earlier, often positivist, views that portrayed the Scientific Revolution as a clean triumph over 'superstition,' aligning instead with contemporary scholarship that emphasizes the complex, messy, and often interconnected nature of historical knowledge systems.

📚 Glossary

Scientific Revolution
Natural Magic
Occult Sciences

📔 Questions to reflect on

How might our understanding of 'science' today be limited or biased by overlooking its historical connections to esoteric traditions?
Consider a contemporary field of study often dismissed as 'unscientific.' What 'mentalities' might be at play, and how do they compare to the historical dynamic between occult and scientific thought outlined in this book?
If occult and scientific mentalities coexisted for centuries, what does this suggest about the human impulse to understand reality, and how might these impulses still manifest in our modern world?