An Anatomy of Witchcraft

Between Cognitive Sciences and History

Oscar Di Simplicio, Martina Di Simplicio (Imperial College London, UK)

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English

Routledge
30 November 2023

European history; Social & cultural history; Magic, alchemy & hermetic thought; Witchcraft

Series: Routledge Studies in the History of Witchcraft, Demonology and Magic

"Much has been written on witchcraft by historians, theologians, philosophers, and anthropologists, but nothing by scientists. This book aims to reappraise witchcraft by applying to it the advances in cognitive sciences.

The book is divided into four parts. Part I (""Deep History"") deals with human emotions and the drive to represent witches as evil female agents. Part II (""Historical Times"") focuses on those rare state and church repressions of malefice, which, surprisingly, did not feature in Islamic lands. Modern urbanization dealt a blow to the rural civilizations where accusations of witchcraft were rife. Part III (""In the Laboratory"") applies neuroscience to specific case studies to investigate the personification of misfortune, the millenary stereotype witch = woman, the reality of evil, and the phenomenon of treasure hunting. Part IV (""Millenials"") wonders whether intentional malefic hatred in a closed chapter in the history of humanity.

An Anatomy of Witchcraft is ideal reading for students and scholars. Given its interdisciplinary nature, the book will be of interest to scholars from many fields including evolutionary psychology, anthropology, women’s history, and cognitive sciences."

By: Oscar Di Simplicio, Martina Di Simplicio (Imperial College London, UK)
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
Weight: 440g
ISBN: 9781032539348
ISBN 10: 1032539348
Series: Routledge Studies in the History of Witchcraft, Demonology and Magic
Pages: 262
Publication Date: 30 November 2023
Audience: College/higher education , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Part 1: Deep History Introduction to Part One. 1. Towards Homo Sapiens 2. Reciprocal Altruism 3. Prehistoric Women 4. Primary Emotions: Fear and Anger 5. Social Emotions: Empathy-Shame-Envy 6. Drives: Eros 7. Drives: Seeking 8. Evolved and Abandoned: A Standstill Psychology? 9. Looking for Witchcraft 10. Defining Evil Witchcraft 11. Redefining Evil Witchcraft Part 2: Historical Times Introduction to Part Two. 12. Visions of the World 13. Witchcraft and Power 14. A Long Walk: Towards a Magic-Religion Dichotomy 15. Greece and Rome: The Complementarity Between Magic and Religion 16. Greece and Rome: The Ambiguous State Control of Witchcraft 17. Christian Transformations: The Nuclear Fallout 18. Early-Modern Witch-Hunting: A Cognitive Puzzle? 19. The Disenchantment of the World 20. The Other Monotheisms: Jewish and Islamic Part 3: In the Laboratory Introduction to Part Three. 21. Case Study 1: The Personalization of Damage 22. Case Study 2: Ambiguities of Malefice: The Evil Eye 23. Case Study 3: The Reality of Malefice 24. Case Study 4: The Stereotype: Witch=Woman 25. Case Study 5: An Envious and Factional Community 26. Case Study 6: Anatomy of Witchcraft 27. Case Study 7: Treasure Hunting or the Simulator Brain Part 4: Millennials Introduction to Part Four. 28. A Look from the Above. Conclusions

Oscar Di Simplicio is a former lecturer in early modern history at the University of Florence. His previous publications include several books and articles that explore the history of witchcraft, the witch-hunts, and the neuropsychological origins of witchcraft cognition. He lives in Siena. Martina Di Simplicio is a clinical senior lecturer in psychiatry at Imperial College London with expertise spanning cognitive neuroscience, clinical psychiatry, and digital technologies. Her research seeks to understand the cognitive mechanisms that underly emotional distress, support resilience, and drive successful treatment of mental disorders.