The place of magic in the intellectual history of Europe

This work opens a wide‑ranging inquiry into how ideas of magic threaded through European thought from antiquity to the early modern era. By drawing on figures such as Isidore, Bede, Roger Bacon and Paracelsus, it shows that even the most learned scholars entertained astrological and occult notions alongside emerging scientific methods. The author maps the shifting attitudes, from the earnest belief of medieval monks to the skeptical classifications of later natural philosophers.

The study then turns to the classical foundations, examining Pliny’s “Natural History” and the Roman intellectual climate that blended empirical observation with magical explanations. Chapters trace the influence of Stoic and Pythagorean doctrines, the role of allegorical interpretation, and the way early astronomers like Ptolemy tried to ground astrology in natural law. Throughout, the book underscores how the boundaries between magic and science were porous, shaping the development of European intellectual history.