Magic, Mystery, and Science: The Occult in Western CivilizationThe triumph of science would appear to have routed all other explanations of reality. No longer does astrology or alchemy or magic have the power to explain the world to us. Yet at one time each of these systems of belief, like religion, helped shed light on what was dark to our understanding. Nor have the occult arts disappeared. We humans spend much of our time in darkness and in dreams, and though we may prefer solid ground beneath our feet, our need for mystery and a sense of the infinite remains. ""Magic, Mystery, and Science presents the occult as a ""third stream"" of belief, as important to the shaping of Western civilization as Greek rationalism or Judeo-Christianity. The history of the occult is intrinsically interesting, but it is also relevant to contemporary concerns, for modern culture never leaves behind as much of the past as one might suppose. The occult seeks explanations in a world that is living and intelligent--quite unlike the one supposed by science. By taking these beliefs seriously, while keeping an eye on science, this book aims to capture some of the power of the occult. Readers will discover that the occult has a long history that reaches back to Babylonia and ancient Egypt. It proceeds alongside, and frequently mingles with, religion and science. From the Egyptian Book of the Dead to New Age beliefs, from Plato to Adolf Hitler, occult ways of knowing have been used--and hideously abused--to explain a world that still tempts us with the knowledge of its dark secrets. |
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Page 269
... origin of the world and its history " ; the task , then , of a scientist was to pick out just those pebbles that ... origins . ) Himmler had brown hair and his head was wide , an imperfection he tried to mute by having his hair cut very ...
... origin of the world and its history " ; the task , then , of a scientist was to pick out just those pebbles that ... origins . ) Himmler had brown hair and his head was wide , an imperfection he tried to mute by having his hair cut very ...
Page 330
... Origins of Christian Supernaturalism ( Chicago : Univer- sity of Chicago Press , 1946 ) , p . 1 . 14. Shirley Case Jackson , Origins . 15. Quoted by Arthur Zajonc , Catching the Light : The Entwined History of Light and Mind ( New York ...
... Origins of Christian Supernaturalism ( Chicago : Univer- sity of Chicago Press , 1946 ) , p . 1 . 14. Shirley Case Jackson , Origins . 15. Quoted by Arthur Zajonc , Catching the Light : The Entwined History of Light and Mind ( New York ...
Page 348
... Origins of Islam ( Albany : SUNY Press , 1994 ) , pp . 150-151 . 112. The Qur'an , 81:22 . For more on this , see Peters , Muhammad and the Origins of Islam , p . 143 . 113. The name " Iblis " probably derives from the Greek diabolos ...
... Origins of Islam ( Albany : SUNY Press , 1994 ) , pp . 150-151 . 112. The Qur'an , 81:22 . For more on this , see Peters , Muhammad and the Origins of Islam , p . 143 . 113. The name " Iblis " probably derives from the Greek diabolos ...
Contents
INTRODUCTION | 1 |
EGYPTIANS AND THE OCCULT | 8 |
MAGIC AND MIRACLES | 35 |
Copyright | |
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Magic, Mystery, and Science: The Occult in Western Civilization Dan Burton,David Grandy Limited preview - 2004 |
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References to this book
False Dawn: The United Religions Initiative, Globalism, and the Quest for a ... Lee Penn Limited preview - 2004 |