1694 - The World Bewitched - A Skeptical Take on Witchcraft and Demonology
Balthasar Bekker (1634-1698), a Dutch theologian and philosopher, is best known for his influential work "The World Bewitched." In this controversial text, he challenged prevailing beliefs in witchcraft and demonic possession, advocating for rational explanations and scientific inquiry. Bekker's skepticism towards superstition and his emphasis on reason made him a key figure in the transition towards Enlightenment thinking and significantly impacted the discourse surrounding occult and supernatural phenomena.
Bekker's detailed descriptions and analyses of contemporary beliefs about witches, demons, and their supposed powers offer a valuable historical record of the prevailing attitudes and fears surrounding these phenomena in the 17th century. The book includes references to numerous witch trials and accounts of alleged demonic possession, providing a glimpse into the legal and social processes involved in prosecuting individuals accused of witchcraft. Bekker recounts, for instance, the case of a woman accused of transforming into a cat to infiltrate a house and steal butter. This is a wonderful document of the intense debates and intellectual battles happening around witchcraft and supernatural phenomena in the mid to late 17th century.
1694. Balthasar Bekker. Le Monde Enchanté [The World Bewitched]. Amsterdam: Chez Pierre Rotterdam. 387 pp. Library stamp from D.D. Jacobi Gaillard. Vintage binding with no major defects. Some light tearing on board edges. Gilding and design on spine. Red edges. Portrait of author as frontispiece. Book in excellent condition overall.
Balthasar Bekker (1634-1698), a Dutch theologian and philosopher, is best known for his influential work "The World Bewitched." In this controversial text, he challenged prevailing beliefs in witchcraft and demonic possession, advocating for rational explanations and scientific inquiry. Bekker's skepticism towards superstition and his emphasis on reason made him a key figure in the transition towards Enlightenment thinking and significantly impacted the discourse surrounding occult and supernatural phenomena.
Bekker's detailed descriptions and analyses of contemporary beliefs about witches, demons, and their supposed powers offer a valuable historical record of the prevailing attitudes and fears surrounding these phenomena in the 17th century. The book includes references to numerous witch trials and accounts of alleged demonic possession, providing a glimpse into the legal and social processes involved in prosecuting individuals accused of witchcraft. Bekker recounts, for instance, the case of a woman accused of transforming into a cat to infiltrate a house and steal butter. This is a wonderful document of the intense debates and intellectual battles happening around witchcraft and supernatural phenomena in the mid to late 17th century.
1694. Balthasar Bekker. Le Monde Enchanté [The World Bewitched]. Amsterdam: Chez Pierre Rotterdam. 387 pp. Library stamp from D.D. Jacobi Gaillard. Vintage binding with no major defects. Some light tearing on board edges. Gilding and design on spine. Red edges. Portrait of author as frontispiece. Book in excellent condition overall.
Balthasar Bekker (1634-1698), a Dutch theologian and philosopher, is best known for his influential work "The World Bewitched." In this controversial text, he challenged prevailing beliefs in witchcraft and demonic possession, advocating for rational explanations and scientific inquiry. Bekker's skepticism towards superstition and his emphasis on reason made him a key figure in the transition towards Enlightenment thinking and significantly impacted the discourse surrounding occult and supernatural phenomena.
Bekker's detailed descriptions and analyses of contemporary beliefs about witches, demons, and their supposed powers offer a valuable historical record of the prevailing attitudes and fears surrounding these phenomena in the 17th century. The book includes references to numerous witch trials and accounts of alleged demonic possession, providing a glimpse into the legal and social processes involved in prosecuting individuals accused of witchcraft. Bekker recounts, for instance, the case of a woman accused of transforming into a cat to infiltrate a house and steal butter. This is a wonderful document of the intense debates and intellectual battles happening around witchcraft and supernatural phenomena in the mid to late 17th century.
1694. Balthasar Bekker. Le Monde Enchanté [The World Bewitched]. Amsterdam: Chez Pierre Rotterdam. 387 pp. Library stamp from D.D. Jacobi Gaillard. Vintage binding with no major defects. Some light tearing on board edges. Gilding and design on spine. Red edges. Portrait of author as frontispiece. Book in excellent condition overall.