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− | Introduction:The Heterodox Tradition in Western Philosophy
| + | [[Image:lighterstill.jpg]][[Image:Historymindv2.jpg|right|frame]] |
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| + | *Introduction:The Heterodox Tradition in Western Philosophy |
| + | *by Paul S. McDonald, Lecturer in Philosophy at Murdoch University, Australia. |
| + | *published by Ashgate |
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| + | *ISBN 978-0-7546-3991-6 |
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| + | *Contentst: Introduction: the heterodox tradition in western philosophy; Ideas about human nature in the ancient Near East; The ancient and medieval horizon of the shamanic soul; Secret teachings about the soul in the post-classical world; Byzantine doctrines of mind, soul and spirit; Christian mystical ideas about the soul's ascent; Magical ideas about the soul from Isidore to Goethe; Plurality of dualisms and duality of life; Sectional bibliographies; Indexes. |
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| + | ==Highways & Byways== |
| There are two (or three) main highways along which western speculation about the | | There are two (or three) main highways along which western speculation about the |
| nature of the world and the human soul have traveled: the Platonic dual nature | | nature of the world and the human soul have traveled: the Platonic dual nature |
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| Descartes the cognitive power (vis cognitiva) of the human mind is due to its | | Descartes the cognitive power (vis cognitiva) of the human mind is due to its |
| attainment of a godlike rationality. | | attainment of a godlike rationality. |
− | | + | ==Aristotle & Co.== |
| Aristotle’s concern to account for the conditions a concrete substance must realize | | Aristotle’s concern to account for the conditions a concrete substance must realize |
| in order to have a soul as its form relied on a matter-form model of explanation. He | | in order to have a soul as its form relied on a matter-form model of explanation. He |
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| Kenelm Digby who thought that some version of atomism was more amenable to | | Kenelm Digby who thought that some version of atomism was more amenable to |
| the new mechanistic theories of matter in motion. | | the new mechanistic theories of matter in motion. |
− | | + | ==Road Less Travelled== |
| But there are other less well-remarked paths, trodden usually by the few or the | | But there are other less well-remarked paths, trodden usually by the few or the |
| chosen alone. These are the distinctive features of heterodox lines of thought about | | chosen alone. These are the distinctive features of heterodox lines of thought about |
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| persons and events; some of the apocryphal texts of the NT also contributed to this | | persons and events; some of the apocryphal texts of the NT also contributed to this |
| magical repertoire. | | magical repertoire. |
− | | + | ==Christianity's Posture== |
| The Christians writers of the early centuries carried out a continuous diatribe | | The Christians writers of the early centuries carried out a continuous diatribe |
| directed against all magical practices, and routinely issued condemnations and | | directed against all magical practices, and routinely issued condemnations and |
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| the operations are designed to elicit instead of the powers they invoke. According to | | the operations are designed to elicit instead of the powers they invoke. According to |
| this theoretical approach, the central feature of religion is that it supplicates God or | | this theoretical approach, the central feature of religion is that it supplicates God or |
− | the gods, and the main feature of magic is that it attempts to coercespiritual beings | + | the gods, and the main feature of magic is that it attempts to coerce spiritual beings |
| or hidden forces.3 | | or hidden forces.3 |
− | | + | ==Magic & Science== |
| The history of magic is above all a crossing-point where the exploitation of natural forces | | The history of magic is above all a crossing-point where the exploitation of natural forces |
| and the invocation of demonic powers intersect. One could summarize the history of | | and the invocation of demonic powers intersect. One could summarize the history of |
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| and impart its authority to it. In other words, human beings may partake of Divine | | and impart its authority to it. In other words, human beings may partake of Divine |
| Revelation through their own efforts. | | Revelation through their own efforts. |
− | | + | ==Giordano Bruno== |
| In their final summary statement about Giordano Bruno, Copenhaver and Schmitt | | In their final summary statement about Giordano Bruno, Copenhaver and Schmitt |
| admirably characterize the central attitude of the magic-inspired heterodox view of | | admirably characterize the central attitude of the magic-inspired heterodox view of |
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| fragments of a desperate god who destroyed himself at the beginning of time; | | fragments of a desperate god who destroyed himself at the beginning of time; |
| universal history is the shadowy death throes of those fragments.’9 | | universal history is the shadowy death throes of those fragments.’9 |
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| + | ==Summary== |
| The Cartesian-Galilean understanding of the mathematical order of the natural | | The Cartesian-Galilean understanding of the mathematical order of the natural |
| world and the mechanical laws that govern change and motion would definitively | | world and the mechanical laws that govern change and motion would definitively |
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| realized through cooperative endeavors, pieces of which can become available to | | realized through cooperative endeavors, pieces of which can become available to |
| anyone with the right scientific education. The occult philosophy and its many | | anyone with the right scientific education. The occult philosophy and its many |
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| heterodox variants are not so much driven underground as channeled into side- | | heterodox variants are not so much driven underground as channeled into side- |
| roads, away from the main highway; dusty roads traveled by amateur alchemists, | | roads, away from the main highway; dusty roads traveled by amateur alchemists, |
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| in their speculations about the nature,function and structure of the human mind and | | in their speculations about the nature,function and structure of the human mind and |
| soul. | | soul. |
− | | + | ==References== |
| 1 Kieckhefer 1990 pp. 35–7. | | 1 Kieckhefer 1990 pp. 35–7. |
| 2 Conditions of secrecy are emphasized by Stroumsa 1996 pp. 1–7. | | 2 Conditions of secrecy are emphasized by Stroumsa 1996 pp. 1–7. |
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| 8 Copenhaver & Schmitt 1992 p. 315. | | 8 Copenhaver & Schmitt 1992 p. 315. |
| 9 Philip Batz quoted in Culianou 1992 p. 56. | | 9 Philip Batz quoted in Culianou 1992 p. 56. |
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| + | [[Category: Philosophy]] |