RLG100Y1 Lecture Notes - Pharmacology, Deal With The Devil, Scientific Revolution
Document Summary
Epistemology philosophical investigation of human hypothesis. From the early periods of christian beliefs. What kinds of questions should we ask about witchcraft beliefs. Where in medieval cultures ideas were circulating. Need to know something about the people who produced them. Ideas of diabolical witchcraft entered the trial of temple not from the villagers through the judicial and scientific authorities (doctor testimony) Introduced diabolical pact, witches sabbath, desecrating holy objects and sexual intercourse with demonic entities. Studying history from a social perspective why ideas make sense to people, why ideas gain traction in certain places, etc . These ideas are emerging precisely from the people who hold authority in the culture (legal, governance, moral, religious, and intellectual authority). The same people who brought these beliefs of witchcraft to light are denouncing them. These documents don"t represent all of the skeptical voices there were skeptics before these centuries.
