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Shazdair, Or even the contemporary work of scientists like Paul Davis? Or Nobel prize-winner Henri Bergson? Science and magic are both complex human social activities, and as I'm a social anthropologist that makes them both important topics for study and discovery - in my case in the context of global economic development. Whilst I'm very happy that modern governments give financial support to science rather than magic, and I'm not likely to turn up at my local sorcerer's house rather than my GP's surgery, scholarly inquiry needs to maintain discipline, reflexivity, and an open mind as well as critique - and assuming that one knows what is "true", "best", "wholly", "facts", and "delusion" unproblematically is hardly in the best traditions of science. If you think that science is immune to fantasy and the vagaries of practice, try reading Latour or Zizek. Or even Barad and Hawking. We know only around 5% of the material comprising the Universe, and most of the rest is probably "dark matter". We undoubtedly have some surprises in store where fact and fantasy might well reverse their roles. It's not a good time for either science or religion to be "playing God". Best Steve On Sat, 28 Apr 2018, 03:43 Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju, < [log in to unmask]> wrote: > Shazdair, > > If religion and spirituality have no creative relationship with science > how come scientists like Newton were deeply inspired by religious vision in > their scientific work, as evident from the General Scholium in his > Principia Mathematica? > > thanks > > toyin > > On 27 April 2018 at 22:33, Shazdair <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> To whom it may concern: >> >> I've spent the last several years studying science instead of mysticism >> throughout history. I've found science to be the true study of knowledge >> and the best way to advance the human intellect and philosophies. >> I still find magic and mysticism interesting in a historical and >> entertainment sense, but I also find it to be based wholly on fantasy >> rather than facts. That being said, the entire subject of religion and >> spirituality is a delusional fantasy created and evolved from early human >> times and wholly in error. >> Even so, there are things to learn in the study of magic and mysticism. >> I just hope the group will not conflate its study with facts and reality >> other than how those delusions and mistaken ideas have led us astray. >> >> Yours in the spirit of education and study, >> Marc >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic [mailto: >> [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sarah L. Veale >> Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2018 6:36 PM >> To: [log in to unmask] >> Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC Digest - 24 Apr >> 2018 to 26 Apr 2018 (#2018-16) >> >> Dear Pavel, >> >> Your student may be interested in some of the resources collected on the >> Network for the Study of Esotericism in Antiquity (NSEA) website. >> >> Under the topic "Magic & Divination" we have links to several online >> databases and resources for ancient magical texts and objects: >> https://ancientesotericism.org/magic-divination/magic/ >> >> Best, >> >> Sarah L. Veale, BA (Hons.), MA >> Doctoral Student >> Department of History >> York University >> Co-director, Network for the Study of Esotericism in Antiquity >> AncientEsotericism.org >> SarahVeale.com >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic < >> [log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC >> automatic digest system >> Sent: April 26, 2018 6:03 PM >> To: [log in to unmask] >> Subject: ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC Digest - 24 Apr 2018 to 26 Apr 2018 >> (#2018-16) >> >> There are 2 messages totaling 383 lines in this issue. >> >> Topics of the day: >> >> 1. Fw: Symposium Supernatural Places Revisted >> 2. a database of magical textx? >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2018 23:17:43 +0200 >> From: Pavel Horák <[log in to unmask]> >> Subject: a database of magical textx? >> >> Dear ASM members, >> >> I have one particular question and would like to hear your comments on >> that: >> >> Have you ever encountered a special database focused on sources dealing >> with magic? >> >> I do not mean EBSCO or Jstor, but whether is there any databases of a >> similar sorts but mainly with original writings dealing with magic etc. We >> have been discussing this matter with a colleague of mine and I realized I >> was not able to answer him completely. He would be particularly interested >> in ancient Rome and Greece, Babylonia, Egypt,.. >> >> Thank you for your help and suggstions :-) >> >> Mgr. Pavel Horak >> >> Department for the Study of Religions >> University of Pardubice >> Czech Republic >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> End of ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC Digest - 24 Apr 2018 to 26 Apr 2018 (#2018-16) >> ************************************************************************** >> >> >> --- >> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. >> https://www.avast.com/antivirus > >