An Anatomy of Witchcraft

ISBN-13: 9781032539348 / Miękka / 2023 / 296 str.

UK) Di Simplicio Martina (Imperial College London

Opis

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.

Spis treści

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

O autorze

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.