Place of Magic in the Intellectual History of Europe

by Lynn Thorndike

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Genres: History, Philosophy

116 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1905

About the author

Lynn Thorndike was an American historian of medieval science and alchemy.

He was the brother of the psychologist Edward Lee Thorndike and of scholar Ashley Horace Thorndike.

Reviews

[Fabrizio Valenza · Rating 2 out of 5]

Il saggio è interessante quale testimonianza di un ingenuo positivismo, incapace di mettere nella luce più adeguata la posizione di concetti filosofici che Thorndike classifica con pretenziosa sicurezza come “magici”. Aiuta a comprendere maggiormente l’importanza di un Husserl.

[Rob · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a whole this text does act as a good historical primer on the foundations of magical thought in Europe. The writing is a bit antiquated from the modern perspective, but understandable given the 1905 publication date. It is also important to note that the writing style can come off as "snobbish" at times since the author is effectively passing judgment on a large number of writers in antiquity. Regardless, this is a relevant text for those wishing to explore the development of intellectual thought in Europe and the work acts as a primer for the much longer "History of Magic and Experimental Science" by the same author.

This is a bit of a rare title (250 hand-numbered copies) so those wishing to read the text may wish to turn to other reprints.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book, but more of an overview listing the various magical beliefs of the Roman era, with a brief introduction on the medieval period, rather than an analysis thereof. Seemed like it could have discussed many more people and aspects, and was rather biased (though with a bias I share) against the very notion of magic. Also, I found a couple occasions where I had a hard time agreeing with his conclusions. However, all in all, it was an enjoyable enough work, and I do plan on checking out his more detailed work on the subject, something through which I have browsed and been quite intrigued and which is used often enough as a source in Durant's work.

[Alexandru I. Păunescu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pentru mine a fost o carte ok, dar care nu mi-a adus foarte multe informații, plus că perspectiva este restrânsă doar la spațiul cultural a Europei, în speță cadrul oferit de imperiul roman. De aceea primește trei stele, dar este o carte bună pentru începutul studiului pentru că oferă perspective. Limbajul este accesibil și nu necesită cunoștințe de specialitate.
Recenzie completă: http://cartealumercur.blogspot.ro/201...

[Azaghedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly readable and engaging, which is shocking considering it's a grad student's doctoral dissertation from 1905. I only wish it extended, temporally speaking, beyond the Roman Empire, as it would have been even more entertaining than it already was to read the author continue to hurl his stinging criticisms at deluded medieval pseudoscientists.