Pico della mirandola, one of the most remarkable thinkers of the renaissance, has become known as a founder of humanism and a supporter of secular rationality. Arranged historically, with commentary, this book includes incantations, charms, curses, golems, demons and witches, as well as astrology, divination and alchemy, with some ancient and medieval works which were once viewed as too dangerous even to open. Join facebook to connect with laurie copenhaver and others you may know. The book reinterprets one of the most prominent thinkers of the italian renaissance in ways that will be widely discussed. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. So problems of definition are likely to be naggingly insistent in the book of magic. The book of magic is divided into 11 more or less chronological sections.
From antiquity to the enlightenment penguin classics reprint by copenhaver, brian isbn. In this fascinating account of the historical conceptual framework. Copenhaver has put together a very decent anthology of source texts, concerning magic, starting from the old testament and ending with the age of enlightenment. Brian copenhaver upends this understanding of pico, unearthing the magic and mysticism in the most famous work attributed to him, oration on the dignity of man. Philosopher brian copenhaver publishes two scholarly books. Research for this book started in 1967, when i chose symphorien champier as the subject of my dissertation, which eventually became copenhaver 1978a. Nov 26, 2019 pico as the inventor of christian kabbalah. Buy the book of magic by brian copenhaver from waterstones today. This book is in many ways a summa of the interests and writers wit. From antiquity to the enlightenment hardcover classics by copenhaver, brian isbn. In it he carries out two major tasks, one of demolition and one of construction, with great skill and flair.
The book of magic ebook by brian copenhaver rakuten kobo. I certainly wouldnt say this is an introductory book some texts, like picatrix, are really hard to get through, so more basic and notsobasic knowledge on certain topics would definitely come in hand. The book of magic by brian copenhaver penguin books. This edition features a new introduction by brian copenhaver, one of our leading experts on the place of magic in intellectual history. Buy the book of magic 97801493148 by brian copenhaver. Selected and translated with an introduction and notes by brian copenhaver. Hermetica reprint editionby copenhaver pdf download. He studies philosophy and science in late medieval and early modern europe, focusing on renaissance philosophy, modern italian philosophy and the philosophical foundations for belief in magic in western. From antiquity to the enlightenment penguin classics will be published on march. Brian copenhaver upends this understanding of pico, unearthing the magic and mysticism in the most famous work attributed to. Copenhaver has sifted through the murky realms of early belief to piece together a wellresearched, cohesive analysis of the occult tradition.
I certainly wouldnt say this is an introductory book some texts, like picatrix, are really hard to get through, so more basic and notsobasic knowledge on certain topics would. Review of brian copenhaver, magic in western culture. Sep 29, 2016 professor copenhavers book is arguably the most comprehensive history of renaissance magic tracing its roots in the neoplatonism of late antiquity since the work of frances yates. The spells, stories and arguments contained in the book represent the intellectual path of magic over the centuries. Although this legendary hermetca has often been identified as a divine brjan of magic, copenhaver has shown that the greek hermetic texts recovered in the fifteenth century by marsilio ficino 14 are not about magic. Copenhaver directly challenges yates claim that early modern magic was founded on hermetic ideas and shows that, in reality, it was the neoplatonists. The book of magic by brian copenhaver overdrive rakuten. The book of magic copenhaver, brian edt 9780241198568 hpb. It is a book of depth and beauty, surely a classic, to be read and reread. Copenhaver born december 21, is professor emeritus of philosophy and copenhavers articles examine magic, astrology, the hermetica, kabbalah and their foundations in neoplatonic, aristotelian and scholastic philosophy. Hermetica reprint editionby copenhaver pdf download ebook. Sep 17, 2015 copenhavers story of magic also features plotinus, iamblichus, proclus, aquinas, agrippa, pomponazzi, porta, bruno, campanella, descartes, boyle, leibniz, and newton, to name only a few of the prominent thinkers discussed in the book.
He teaches and writes about philosophy, religion and science in late medieval and early modern europe. Browse the guardian bookshop for a big selection of history. Magic in western culture is a dense, scholarly book, lightened in part by the rich illustrations. Brian copenhavers anthology the book of magic reveals just that, presenting an academic insight into successive stages of superstition, from antiquity to the enlightenment. Jun 18, 2019 brian copenhaver hermetica pdf admin june 18, 2019 no comments brian p. The book of magic brian copenhaver haftad 97801493148. For more than seventy years, penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the englishspeaking world. Copenhaver, brian, copenhaver, brian, copenhaver, brian, copenhaver, brian. This book is in many ways a summa of the interests and writers with which he has been preoccupied throughout his career. Copenhavers book is important because it tackles headon one of the thorniest of all problems in western historiography namely, when and how the western world became modern and, therefore, disenchanted of its former magic. Brian copenhavers magic and the dignity of man is erudite, original, and eloquent. Copenhaver declines to define magic except in genealogical terms aligning himself, in this. Oct 31, 2018 magic in western culture remains a book filled with intellectual treasures. The bible is full of stories featuring forms of magic and possessionfrom moses battling with pharaohs wizards to the supernatural actions of jesus and his disciples.
The book of magic will be welcomed by everyone from those with the most casual interest in the magical tradition to anyone drawn to the renaissance and the tangled, arcane roots of the scientific tradition. Magic in western culture remains a book filled with intellectual treasures. Brian p copenhaver this book is a collection of texts that describe and debate magic in various aspects. The book of magic from antiquity to enlightenment brian copenhaver. Mar 10, 2020 magic in western culture is a dense, scholarly book, lightened in part by the rich illustrations. As when iron is drawn to a magnet, camphor is sucked into hot air, crystal lights up in the sun, sulphur and a volatile liquid are kindled by flame, an empty eggshell filled with dew is raised. This is a book filled with incantations, charms, curses, summonings, cures, and descriptions of extraordinary, shadowy, only halfunderstood happenings from long ago.
From antiquity to the enlightenment average rating. From antiquity to the enlightenment cambridge university press, 2015, brian p. The story of the beliefs and practices called magic starts in ancient iran, greece, and rome, before entering its crucial christian phase in the middle ages. For more than seventy years, penguin has been the leading publisher of. Centering on the renaissance and marsilio ficino whose work on magic was the most influential account written in premodern times this groundbreaking book treats magic as a classical tradition with foundations that were distinctly. John copenhaver is a master storyteller, a confident and gifted writer and this, his first novel, is a clever, brilliant, beautiful work.
Copenhaver shows that for millenia magic was taken seriously by the learned classes, sustained by a philosophical foundation drawn from plato, aristotle, and the stoics. Philosopher brian copenhaver publishes two scholarly books on. Professor copenhavers book is arguably the most comprehensive history of renaissance magic tracing its roots in the neoplatonism of late antiquity since the work of frances yates. With christopher shields notre dame, i coedited the sixvolume history of the philosophy of mind routledge. Centering on the renaissance and marsilio ficino whose work on magic was the most influential account written in premodern times this groundbreaking book treats magic as a classical. Remarkable for its clarity of writing, this book is still considered essential reading for students seeking to understand the assumptions, beliefs, and convictions that informed the thinking of the renaissance. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Over the next forty years or so, i continued to read and write about the occultist tradition mentioned in the title of that book, while changing my views about it. A strange blend of mumbojumbo, fear, fraud, and deeply serious study, magic was at the heart of the european renaissance, fascinating many of its greatest figures. From antiquity to the enlightenment brian copenhaver on. The role of the magic tradition in the inception of science is complex but to present the two as antithetical is wrong. Copenhavers story of magic also features plotinus, iamblichus, proclus, aquinas, agrippa, pomponazzi, porta, bruno, campanella, descartes, boyle, leibniz, and newton, to name only a few of the prominent thinkers discussed in the book.
The texts are arranged historically in eleven sections, starting with the wizardry of moses in the hebrew bible. As, over the following centuries, the christian church attempted to stamp out deviant practices, there was a persistent interest in magic that drew strength from this biblical validation. From antiquity to the enlightenment brian copenhaver. Copenhaver born december 21, is professor emeritus of philosophy and copenhavers articles examine magic, astrology, the hermetica, kabbalah and their foundations in. The first 80 pages of the book are wasted on extractstranslated by copenhaver himselffrom the bible that will be at the. Satan himself in the codex gigas courtesy of penguin books. Buy the book of magic 97801493148 by brian copenhaver for only. About the book of magic a rich, wondrous anthology of the western magical tradition, from the old testament to doctor faustus and paradise lost, now in a penguin classics black spine edition. From antiquity to the enlightenment penguin classics kindle edition by brian copenhaver. The characters are deeply human in their weaknesses, their loves, and the unfolding tragedy of their lives.
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