Donato Verardi, ed., Aristotelianism and Magic in Early Modern Europe: Philosophers, Experimenters, and Wonderworkers (London, New York, and Dublin: Bloomsbury, 2023). 9781350121092.
Reviewed by Adrien Mangili, FNS/Université de Toulouse Jean Jaurès., adrien.mangili@gmail.com.
This edited volume, Aristotelianism and Magic in Early Modern Europe, explores the unexpected intersections between Aristotelian philosophy and magical practices over a long span, from the thirteenth to the eighteenth century, marked by epistemological shifts. Donato Verardi’s introduction emphasizes the book’s focus on the reception of Aristotle’s authority in the early modern period on an “unlikely subject: magic” (p. 1). This choice might seem surprising, but it must be acknowledged that the protean figure of Aristotle in the premodern period also carried an esoteric imaginary, particularly because he was believed to have authored the famous Secretum Secretorum (a widely circulated pseudo-Aristotelian text from the Middle Ages, blending political advice, astrology, and occult knowledge). Providing a transnational and interdisciplinary perspective, the book aims to reposition Aristotelianism as a pivotal intellectual framework that shaped magical practices while tracing how such practices influenced the evolution of experimental science.
This richly detailed collection supports two central hypotheses: that Aristotelian natural philosophy and logic “both found a place within debates on magic” and that this Aristotelian tradition of magic contributed to the emergence of “early modern experimentalism” (p. 1), building on the foundational work of scholars like Lynn Thorndike, Mark A. Waddell, and John Henry. While this terrain has already been explored, notably by Brian Copenhaver, this book fills an important gap in intellectual history by exploring the conjunction of Aristotelianism and magic, a connection that has often been overlooked in favor of more commonly studied Neoplatonic traditions. This is demonstrated through case studies that essentialize philosophical positions precludes nuanced analyses of intellectual contexts. The book fills an important gap by exploring the conjunction of Aristotelianism and magic, a connection that has often been overlooked in favor of more commonly studied Neoplatonic traditions. The studies compiled by Verardi effectively show, for example, that Aristotelianism adapts equally well to iatrochemistry (a branch of medicine in the early modern period that applied chemical principles to physiological processes) as to Cartesian corpuscular mechanics (the theory that all natural phenomena can be explained by the motion and interaction of tiny, indivisible particles). In doing so, this volume also invites readers to move beyond overly rigid historiographical categories.
This small book is divided into eight chapters, each presenting a distinct case study that explores different facets of the Aristotelian-magical nexus. The chapters are arranged, as much as possible, in chronological order, allowing readers to perceive the gradual and complex nature of these epistemological transformations.
In his compelling chapter, Thibaut Rioult examines the interplay between Aristotelian philosophy and illusionism in late medieval Europe, focusing on Guillaume d’Auvergne (ca. 1180–1249). Rioult’s analysis reveals how Guillaume rationalized demonic illusions to limit their scope, a framework that paradoxically later informed the Malleus Maleficarum (a notorious late 15th-century treatise on witchcraft, which codified demonological beliefs and contributed to the persecution of alleged witches across Europe). Rioult also traces the emergence of natural magic in Guillaume’s thought. Against Cathar dualism, which set God and the Devil in opposition to one another, Guillaume sought to restrict the role of demonology, effectively “siphoning off” (p. 19) the powers of magic before the works of Roger Bacon. However, this was soon countered by demonologists, who later instrumentalized his theories to present demons as powerful illusionists in the wake of Thomas Aquinas’s theories of perception.
Expanding the scope to Renaissance contexts, Peter G. Maxwell-Stuart delves into the complexities of Renaissance magic, situating it within Aristotelian curiosity and the broader framework of experimentum. (In this context, experimentum refers to early modern scientific experience and hands-on experimentation, distinguishing empirical inquiry from purely speculative or theoretical reasoning.) He illustrates how magic was perceived as both an art and a technique, rooted in accumulated knowledge and experimental practices. This duality allowed Renaissance thinkers to bridge theoretical inquiry with practical applications, reflecting the interplay between tradition and innovation. While offering an insightful synthesis, the chapter’s omission of pivotal figures like Ficino and Pico leaves its analysis of Renaissance magic somewhat incomplete.
Shifting from general Renaissance trends to a specific case study, Donato Verardi explores Francesco Storella’s (1529–1575) reinterpretation of Aristotelian logic through his commentary on the Secretum Secretorum (1555). Verardi highlights the versatility of Aristotelianism, as Storella reimagined Aristotle not only as a philosopher but also as a practitioner of the occult and veneficial magic. (“Veneficial” is indeed a rare but historically attested term. It refers specifically to harmful magic involving poisons and maleficia (i.e., malevolent enchantments), and was used in early modern contexts to describe a particular subset of occult practices.) This reimagining provided a framework for legitimizing astrological and magical practices as scientifically grounded while distancing them from demonic influences. Verardi’s chapter demonstrates how Storella’s work contributed to the broader reevaluation of natural magic, positioning it as a tool for both intellectual inquiry and empirical experimentation.
Continuing this exploration of the interplay between magic and science, William Eamon investigates the gradual mechanization of preternatural phenomena in early modern Europe. By examining figures like Giambattista della Porta (1535–1615), Eamon reveals the evolving relationships between engineers, natural philosophers, and magicians, underscoring their shared fascination with manipulating nature’s hidden properties. While engaging, this chapter’s connection to Aristotelian frameworks is somewhat indirect, as it focuses more on mechanistic paradigms.
Following Eamon’s discussion of mechanization, Arianna Borrelli introduces the concept of “techno-magic” through the example of Cornelis Drebbel’s (1572–1633) perpetual motion machine (a device designed to operate indefinitely without an external energy source). Borrelli merges Renaissance natural magic with early experimental mechanics, arguing that the flexible framework of natural magic allowed thinkers like Drebbel to investigate nature’s secrets through heuristic experimentation. This chapter compellingly illustrates how Drebbel’s work bridged the gap between magical wonder and mechanistic innovation, contributing to a nascent scientific methodology.
Shifting to meteorology, Jennifer Mori examines English practices in this field, emphasizing its roots in Aristotelian natural philosophy, vernacular traditions, and popular magical practices. Her study includes a detailed exploration of instruments such as the weather glass and the ways they mediated between empirical observation and magical interpretations. Mori’s chapter highlights the additive nature of early modern intellectual culture, where Aristotelian ideas coexisted with emerging mechanistic paradigms.
In another case of adapting Aristotelianism, Manuel De Carli analyzes Wolfred Senguerd’s (1646–1724) evolving explanations of tarantism, blending Aristotelian qualities with Cartesian and iatrochemical frameworks. Senguerd’s detailed exploration begins with the traditional Aristotelian categories of hot, cold, dry, and wet to explain the physiological effects of tarantula venom, a condition believed to provoke uncontrollable dancing. Over time, he incorporated Cartesian principles, such as the mechanistic explanation of bodily functions, and iatrochemical concepts, including the role of fermentation and the movement of particles, to account for the symptoms and their treatment. His work underscores how Aristotelianism could coexist with and adapt alongside newer scientific methodologies, demonstrating its resilience and capacity for integration with contemporary scientific thought.
Finally, Michael Pickering examines Johann Nikolaus Martius’s Unterricht von der Magia Naturali (1717), which integrates neo-Aristotelian matter-spirit theory with mechanistic and corpuscular explanations. Martius’s work reflects a pietistic effort to bring spiritual powers into harmony with natural philosophy. He emphasizes nature’s dual regenerative capacity—as a source of medical remedies and as a reflection of divine order—and frames natural magic as a spiritual practice leading to profound wisdom. This wisdom, in Martius’s view, granted practitioners quasi-divine powers, aligning them with the metaphysical structure of the cosmos. His systematic approach to “spirit power” exemplifies a nuanced understanding of the interactions between matter and spirit, employing corpuscular mechanisms to explain natural phenomena while maintaining a deeply theological perspective. By blending practical applications with metaphysical insights, Martius presents natural magic as both an empirical and spiritual pursuit.
These chapters clearly challenge the notion that Aristotelianism declined during the Scientific Revolution, instead presenting it as a dynamic and adaptable framework. In illustrating how Aristotelian thought intersected with fields as diverse as natural magic, iatrochemistry, meteorology, and mechanistic science, the book highlights the intellectual flexibility and enduring relevance of Aristotelianism in the early modern period. The contributors collectively demonstrate how Aristotelian categories provided a foundation for new scientific methodologies while fostering debate about the boundaries between the natural and the supernatural. Overall, Aristotelianism and Magic in Early Modern Europe offers valuable insights into the intersections of tradition and innovation during the early modern period, making it an essential resource for scholars of intellectual history, the history of science, and early modern philosophy. It invites further exploration of Aristotelianism’s enduring legacy and its ability to adapt to evolving scientific and philosophical contexts. By tracing Aristotelianism’s engagement with diverse fields—from natural magic to meteorology—this volume not only demonstrates its adaptability but also underscores the enduring relevance of premodern frameworks in shaping early modern thought.
The book is, moreover, adorned with beautiful illustrations that deepen the understanding of the issues explored. Additionally, the volume is accompanied by a highly useful index nominum, which allows readers to navigate the wealth of references with ease, making it an invaluable tool for further research.
Table of Contents
Introduction (1–14)
1. Aristotelian Philosophy and Illusionism in Late Medieval Europe / Thibaut Rioult (15–38)
2. The Roles of Experimentum and the Vis Imaginativa in Medieval and Early Modern Magic / Peter G. Maxwell-Stuart (39–60)
3. The Image of Aristotle as a Magus and the Aristotelian Foundation of Magic in Early Modern Italy / Donato Verardi (61–81)
4. Making and Unmaking Marvels in Early Modern Europe / William Eamon (83–104)
5. Aristotelianism, Chymistry, and Mechanics in Early Seventeenth-Century Europe / Arianna Borrelli (105–44)
6. Aristotelianism, Magic and Experiments in Early Modern English Meteorology / Jennifer Mori (145–70)
7. Natural Magic, Experimentalism and Tarantism in a Dutch Aristotelian Professor / Manuel De Carli (170–91)
8. The Domestication of Spirit Power in a German Handbook on Natural Magic / Michael Pickering (193–215)
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