The Devils Pact Free

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Devils Pact Free FREE THE DEVILS PACT PDF James Holland | 448 pages | 10 Apr 2014 | Transworld Publishers Ltd | 9780552158015 | English | London, United Kingdom Pact With The Devil: How to Make a Faustian Contract or Deal The pact may be made orally, but according to lore it is best to write it on virgin parchment and sign it in blood. Pacts with the Devil or Demons for personal The Devils Pact appear in various cultures. From the earliest days of Christianity, a pact with the Devil was tacitly understood to be part of any Magic, Sorcery or divination performed by an adept. Pacts also involved ordinary The Devils Pact in legends, the Devil routinely appeared to people in distress and bartered love, money or power in exchange for souls. In the witch hysteria of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the pact took on new significance as proof of heresy and became grounds for prosecution and condemnation of accused witches. The collaboration between men and Demons, which implies a pact, predates Christ by thousands of years. King Solomonson of David, acquired his wisdom and riches with the help of an army of Demons called Djinn. The prevailing view of the church was that worldly goods and the like could not be obtained without crime except by appealing directly to God, or The Devils Pact Him through one of his saints. The Devils Pact of The Devils Pact earliest Christian stories of a pact with Satan concerns Theophilus, treasurer of the church of Ad- ana, who allegedly sold his soul to the Devil around in order to become bishop. Two major early Christian theologians, Origen and St. Augustine claimed that divination and the practices of magic and sorcery required Demonic pacts. Much later, this was affirmed by the influential theologian Thomas Aquinas ca. Using the ritual instructions in a GRIMOIRE, the magician or sorcerer evoked Demons for the purpose of attaining wealth, the power of invisibility, love or political power — but seldom to harm enemies. The belief was that sooner or later such Demonic favors compromised the magician into selling his soul to Satan in return. The Key of Solomon, one of the major medieval grimoires whose authorship is attributed to King Solomon, offered the following instruction for making a pact with a Demon:. Exactly at dawn, use a new knife to cut a fork-shaped wand from the twig of a wild nut tree that has never borne fruit. Take the wand, a magic bloodstone and consecrated candles to the site of the ritual, preferably a ruined castle or deserted house, where one will The Devils Pact undisturbed and receive whatever treasures the Demon produces. With the bloodstone, draw a triangle on the ground or floor, and place the candles on the side of it. Stand in middle of the triangle, hold the wand and recite the required invocation. When the work is finished, recite another incantation to dismiss the Demon. Typically, the victim was not a witch but an ordinary person who was vulnerable to temptation. Satan or a Demon would appear, some- times as a man and sometimes as an animal, and The Devils Pact to help. The pact would last for a specified number of years, at which time Satan would collect: the victim would die and his soul would go to hell. Perhaps the best-known tale is the story of Faust, a scientist and alchemist who sells his soul to the Demon Mephistopheles in exchange for youth and lust. These moralistic stories were publicized through pamphlets and portrayed Satan as a trick- ster. The victim, despite his or her supernatural favors, usually came to a dreadful demise. Sometimes the Virgin Mary would intercede for the victims and snatch the pacts away from the Devil. Witches were said to derive their powers from Satan, which required entering into a pact with him. The purpose of the pact was portrayed less as personal gain than as the deliberate and malicious intent to harm others, and a renunciation of The Devils Pact and the Christian faith. A representative view was expressed by Johann Trithemiusabbot and scholar, in his work, Liber Octo Quaestionum:. Witches are a most pestiferous class, who enter on pacts with Demons, and, after making a solemn profes- sion of faith, dedicate themselves, in lasting obedience, to some particular Demon. No one can describe the evils of which this The Devils Pact of beings is guilty. Hence they must nowhere be tolerated, but utterly and everywhere exterminated. Demonologists and witch-hunters distinguished be- tween two kinds of pacts: the private pact and the sol- emn public pact. The private pact was a vow made by a witch, sometimes with the help of another witch. It was assumed that eventually the initiate would declare his or her allegiance to the Devil publicly. The public pact was made in a ceremony, either in a Christian church or at a Sabbatwhich always took place outdoors. If held in a church — an act of sacrilege — the Devil himself was not always present; at a sabbat, he was. According to Demonologists, the initiates renounced their Christian faith and baptism, swore allegiance to Satan and The Devils Pact to sacrifice to him unbaptized children, pledged an annual tribute to him and gave him a token piece of their clothing. They signed a written pact in their own blood. All aspects of the ceremony were done in reverse, since Satan is the reverse of God. Crosses were held upside down and then trampled, pacts were written backwards, the initiates signed their names with their left hands and the Devil made his mark on the left side of the body. Until the 14th century most witches were prosecuted only for the alleged The Devils Pact they did to people and their animals — not just for worshiping and The Devils Pact pact with the Devil. The church began to press the idea that witch- es should be prosecuted for heresy as well. In order to prove this heresy in a witch trial, the existence of a formal pact with the Devil had to be established. Most inquisitors had little trouble with this — they simply tortured the accused until he or she confessed. Seldom was a document The Devils Pact produced; it was said that the Devil conveniently took most of his pacts with him in order The Devils Pact protect his servants. One notable exception to this was the trial of Father Urbain Grandierparish priest of St. Grandier was accused of caus- ing the nuns in Loudun to become possessed. The pact stated:. We, the The Devils Pact Lucifer, seconded by Satan, Beelze- bub, Leviathan, Elimi, Astarothand others, have The Devils Pact accepted the pace of alliance with Urbain Grandier, who is on our side. And we promise him the love of women, the flower of virgins, the chastity of nuns, worldly hon- ors, pleasures, and riches. He will fornicate every three days; intoxication will be dear to him. He will offer to us once a year a tribute marked with his blood; he will trample under foot the sacraments of the church, and he will say his prayers to us. By virtue of this pact, he will live happily for twenty years on earth among men, and finally will come among us to curse God. Done in hell, in the council of the devils. Notarized the signature and mark of the chief Devil, and my lords the princes of hell. Grandier was convicted and burned. Louis Gaufridi, a man who confessed to being a witch inrecited his pact verbally for the inquisitors:. I, Louis Gaufridi, renounce all good, both spiritual as well as temporal, which may be bestowed upon me by God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, all the Saints of Heaven, particularly my Patron St. John-Baptist, as also S. Peter, S. Paul, and S. Francis, and I give myself body and soul to Lucifer, before whom I stand, together with every good that I may ever possess save always the benefits of the sacraments touching those who The Devils Pact them. And according to the tenor of these terms have I signed and sealed. With all my heart and most unfeignedly and with all my will most deliberately do I wholly renounce God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost; the most Holy Mother of God; all the Angels and especially my Guardian Angel, the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, His Precious Blood and the merits thereof, my lot in Paradise, also the good inspirations which God may give me in the future, all the prayers which are made or may be made for me. The Devils Pact prosecution of witches solely for having pacts with the Devil increased slowly on the European continent, though convictions still required evidence of maleficia. Witch-hunting handbooks such as the Malleus Maleficarum discussed pacts in great detail. The public cared little about pacts and more about what harm a witch did to her neighbors. Such maleficia were presumed possible with- The Devils Pact a pact. In Matthew Hopkins began his infamous hunt of witches in England and obtained sworn evidence of written pacts. Back to Demonology Glossary. A representative view was expressed by Johann Trithemiusabbot and scholar, in his work, Liber Octo Quaestionum: Witches are a most pestiferous class, who enter The Devils Pact pacts with Demons, and, after The Devils Pact a The Devils Pact profes- sion of faith, dedicate themselves, in lasting obedience, to some particular Demon. The pact stated: We, the all-powerful Lucifer, seconded by The Devils Pact, Beelze- bub, Leviathan, Elimi, Astarothand others, have today accepted the pace of alliance with Urbain The Devils Pact, who is on our side.
Recommended publications
  • February 18, 2018-No Deal with the Devil
    Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-13; Hebrews 4:14-16; Matthew 4:1-11 February 18, 2018 First Sunday in Lent Preached by Philip Gladden at the Wallace Presbyterian Church, Wallace, NC NO DEAL WITH THE DEVIL Let us pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen. Today at 2:00 p.m. the UNC-Wilmington theater department will present “Dr. Faustus.” The production will be set in a rock and roll dream world and is based on the 16th century play by Christopher Marlowe. The full title of the original play was “The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus. Marlowe fashioned his play on old German folk tales about Doctor Faustus, an academic who made a deal with the devil, Lucifer, who is represented by the character Mephistophilis. Faustus gets bored with the regular academic subjects and trades his soul for twenty-four years of knowing and practicing the black arts and magic. Despite his misgivings about his deal with the devil as the end gets nearer, and frantic attempts to get out of the deal, Faustus is killed at the stroke of midnight.1 One legend says that when Doctor Faustus was first performed, actual devils showed up on stage and drove some audience members crazy. From that tragic story we get the phrase “a Faustian bargain.” This means trading in your values and morals, exchanging who you really are for some apparently awesome short-term goal.
    [Show full text]
  • HIP HOP & Philosophy
    Devil and Philosophy 2nd pages_HIP HOP & philosophy 4/8/14 10:43 AM Page 195 21 Souls for Sale JEFF EWING F Y O Selling your soul to the Devil in exchaPnge for a longer life, wealth, beauty, power, or skill has long been a theme in Obooks, movies, and even music. Souls have Obeen sold for Rknowledge and pleasure (Faust), eternal youth (Dorian Gray), the ability to play the guitar (Tommy JohnCson in O Brother, Where Art P Thou?) or the harmonica (Willie “Blind Do g Fulton Smoke House” Brown in the 1986 Emovie, Crossroads), or for rock’n’roll itself (the way Black SCabbath did on thDeir 1975 greatest hits album, We Sold Our Soul for Rock’n’ERoll). The selling of aN soul as an object of exchange for nearly any- thing, as a sort of fictitious comTmodity with nearly universal exchange valuAe, makes it perChaps the most unique of all possi- ble commVodities (and as such, contracts for the sales of souls are the most unique of aEll possible contracts). One theorist in partiDcular, Karl MaRrx (1818–1883), elaborately analyzed con- tracts, exchange, and “the commodity” itself, along with all the hAidden implicatRions of commodities and the exchange process. Let’s see what Marx has to tell us about the “political economy” of the FaustOian bargain with the Devil, and try to uncover what it trulyC is to sell your soul. N Malice and Malleus Maleficarum UWhile the term devil is sometimes used to refer to minor, lesser demons, in Western religions the term refers to Satan, the fallen angel who led a rebellion against God and was banished from Heaven.
    [Show full text]
  • Faust Among the Witches: Towards an Ethics of Representation —David Hawkes
    Faust Among the Witches: Towards an Ethics of Representation —David Hawkes I 1. Money rules the postmodern world, and money is an efficacious, or "performative," sign: a medium of representation that attains practical power. As we might expect, therefore, the concept of the performative sign is theoretically central to the postmodern era' s philosophy, politics, psychology, linguistics and -- a forteriori -- its economics. All of these disciplines, in their postmodern forms, privilege the performative, rather than the denotative, aspect of signs. They all assume that signs do things, and that the objective world is constructed for us via the realm of signification. In the work of such philosophers as Jacques Derrida and Judith Butler, the performative sign even acquires a vague association with political radicalism, since its power can be used to deconstruct such allegedly repressive chimeras as essence and self-identity. 2. The argument that signs are performative by nature leads to the conclusion that there is no prelinguistic or nonmaterial human subject, since subjective intention is irrelevant to the sign's efficacy. The idea that the subject is material thus takes its place alongside the notion that representation is efficacious as a central tenet of postmodern thought. It is not difficult to point to the connection between these ideas in the field of "economics." Money is an externalized representation of abstract human labor power -- that is to say, of human subjective activity, of human life. In addition to being a system of autonomous representation, then, money is the incarnation of objectified subjectivity. It is thus hardly surprising to find that the idea that the subject is material, that it is an object, is very prevalent in postmodern thought, or that materialism dominates intellectual disciplines from sociobiology to literary criticism.
    [Show full text]
  • Joseph Smith and Diabolism in Early Mormonism 1815-1831
    Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU All Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 5-2021 "He Beheld the Prince of Darkness": Joseph Smith and Diabolism in Early Mormonism 1815-1831 Steven R. Hepworth Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd Part of the History of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Hepworth, Steven R., ""He Beheld the Prince of Darkness": Joseph Smith and Diabolism in Early Mormonism 1815-1831" (2021). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 8062. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/8062 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. "HE BEHELD THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS": JOSEPH SMITH AND DIABOLISM IN EARLY MORMONISM 1815-1831 by Steven R. Hepworth A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in History Approved: Patrick Mason, Ph.D. Kyle Bulthuis, Ph.D. Major Professor Committee Member Harrison Kleiner, Ph.D. D. Richard Cutler, Ph.D. Committee Member Interim Vice Provost of Graduate Studies UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Logan, Utah 2021 ii Copyright © 2021 Steven R. Hepworth All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT “He Beheld the Prince of Darkness”: Joseph Smith and Diabolism in Early Mormonism 1815-1831 by Steven R. Hepworth, Master of Arts Utah State University, 2021 Major Professor: Dr. Patrick Mason Department: History Joseph Smith published his first known recorded history in the preface to the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon.
    [Show full text]
  • "With His Blood He Wrote"
    :LWK+LV%ORRG+H:URWH )XQFWLRQVRIWKH3DFW0RWLILQ)DXVWLDQ/LWHUDWXUH 2OH-RKDQ+ROJHUQHV Thesis for the degree of philosophiae doctor (PhD) at the University of Bergen 'DWHRIGHIHQFH0D\ © Copyright Ole Johan Holgernes The material in this publication is protected by copyright law. Year: 2017 Title: “With his Blood he Wrote”. Functions of the Pact Motif in Faustian Literature. Author: Ole Johan Holgernes Print: AiT Bjerch AS / University of Bergen 3 Acknowledgements I would like to thank the following for their respective roles in the creation of this doctoral dissertation: Professor Anders Kristian Strand, my supervisor, who has guided this study from its initial stages to final product with a combination of encouraging friendliness, uncompromising severity and dedicated thoroughness. Professor Emeritus Frank Baron from the University of Kansas, who encouraged me and engaged in inspiring discussion regarding his own extensive Faustbook research. Eve Rosenhaft and Helga Muellneritsch from the University of Liverpool, who have provided erudite insights on recent theories of materiality of writing, sign and indexicality. Doctor Julian Reidy from the Mann archives in Zürich, with apologies for my criticism of some of his work, for sharing his insights into the overall structure of Thomas Mann’s Doktor Faustus, and for providing me with some sources that have been valuable to my work. Professor Erik Bjerck Hagen for help with updated Ibsen research, and for organizing the research group “History, Reception, Rhetoric”, which has provided a platform for presentations of works in progress. Professor Lars Sætre for his role in organizing the research school TBLR, for arranging a master class during the final phase of my work, and for friendly words of encouragement.
    [Show full text]
  • They Sold Their Soul to the Devil Have You Noticed the Number of Hollywood and Music Industry Stars Claiming to Have Sold Their
    They Sold Their Soul to the Devil Have you noticed the number of Hollywood and music industry stars claiming to have sold their souls to the devil? Souled out stars. •“Sold my soul, from heaven into hell.” - 30 Seconds to Mars •“Sell his soul for cheap. Let’s make a deal, sell me your soul. Designer of the devil.” - 50 Cent •“I sold my soul to the devil in L.A” - Aaron Lewis •“Some sell their soul for the easy road. The devil’s always buying. I can’t count the ones I’ve known who fell right into line.” - Aaron Tippin •“‘I sold my soul to the devil.” - Abi Titmuss •“I’m just a demon that means well. Freelance for God, but do the work of Satan.” - Ab- Soul •“Hey Satan, pay my dues. I’m gonna take you to hell, I’m gonna get ya Satan.” - AC/DC •“There’s plenty of money to be had. But you also lose your soul.” - Alan Alda •“And tempt the soul of any man. Between the devil and me. The gates of hell swing open.” - Alan Jackson •“Dr. Dre told me he sold his soul to the devil for a million bucks.” - Alonzo Williams •“The dark covers me and I cannot run now.” - Amy Winehouse •“I sold my soul.” - Andrew W.K. •“But when it comes time to decide your fate, they’ll sign you on the line right next to Satan. Cause’ they don’t care about us. They just use us up.” - Asher Roth •“I sold my soul to the devil.” - Aubrey Plaza •“Dance with the devil.
    [Show full text]
  • Marija Todorovska SOULS for SALE
    99 ЗА ДУШАТА, Зборник, стр. 99-111, лето 2018 УДК: 2-167.64 : 128 прегледен труд Marija Todorovska PhD, Associate professor Institute for Philosophy, Faculty of Philosophy University Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Skopje SOULS FOR SALE: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE MOTIF OF BARGAINING WITH THE DARK SIDE Abstract The concept of a pact with some representative of the dark side persists in numerous cultural narratives and it almost always includes the steps of assumption of a soul, the possibility to trade it, and the risk/benefit ratio of doing so, a constant being the longing to gain superhu- man abilities and/or skills and successes. The motif of the soul-selling to dark, evil beings in terms of exchange of submission and servitude for earthly advantages and superhuman abil- ities and the promise of happiness in this life or the next is briefly examined, through some understandings of evil in the world (various instances of evil demons, devilish adversaries, Satan); along the need for exculpation for wrong-doing and the implications of free deci- sion-making; via the perception of the denouncement of the mainstream belief-systems and the contract with the Devil; and by pointing out some pact-with-the-Devil foundation stories. Keywords pact, devil, soul, Satan The concept of the contract between man and some representative of the im- agined forces of evil or darkness persists in a variety of stories for thousands of years and is usually about an exchange of the soul for extraordinary gains, with additional conditions depending on the characteristics of the parties involved, the period, the cultural climate and the dominant belief-system.
    [Show full text]
  • The Triumphant Church Are Constantly Ravaged by the Wiles of Satan and Are in a State of Continual Failure and Defeat
    Kenneth E. Hagin Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations in this volume are from the King James Version of the Bible. Cover photograph of throne chair used by permission: Philbrook Museum of Art Tulsa, Oklahoma Fourth Printing 1994 ISBN 0-89276-520-8 In the U.S. Write: In Canada write: Kenneth Hagin Ministries Kenneth Hagin Ministries P.O. Box 50126 P.O. Box 335 Tulsa, OK 74150-0126 Etobicoke (Toronto), Ontario Canada, M9A 4X3 Copyright © 1993 RHEMA Bible Church AKA Kenneth Hagin Ministries, Inc. All Rights Reserved Printed The Faith Shield is a trademark of RHEMA Bible Church, AKA Kenneth Hagin Ministries, Inc., registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and therefore may not be duplicated. Contents 1 Origins: Satan and His Kingdom.................................5 2 Rightly Dividing Man: Spirit, Soul, and Body...........35 3 The Devil or the Flesh?...............................................69 4 Distinguishing the Difference Between Oppression, Obsession, and Possession...........................................107 5 Can a Christian Have a Demon?..............................143 6 How to Deal With Evil Spirits..................................173 7 The Wisdom of God...................................................211 8 Spiritual Warfare: Are You Wrestling or Resting?..253 9 Pulling Down Strongholds........................................297 10 Praying Scripturally to Thwart The Kingdom of Darkness.......................................................................329 11 Is the Deliverance Ministry Scriptural?.................369 12 Scriptural Ways to Minister Deliverance...............399 Chapter 1 1 Origins: Satan and His Kingdom Believers are seated with Christ in heavenly places, far above all powers and principalities of darkness. No demon can deter the believer who is seated with Christ far above all the works of the enemy! Our seating and reigning with Christ in heavenly places is a position of authority, honor, and triumph—not failure, depression, and defeat.
    [Show full text]
  • From the Crucible by Arthur Miller
    from The Crucible By Arthur Miller INTO THE PLAY The Crucible is based on real events that took place in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692. As the play begins, the author provides some background information about the setting, the characters, and their mindsets, before the characters start to speak. The author also draws some comparisons between the events in Salem and the events of the 1950s, when he was writing this play. ACT ONE 1 A HERE’S HOW (An Overture ) Reading Focus A small upper bedroom in the home of !"#"!"$% &'()"* +'!!,&, As I begin to read, I want to draw conclusions about the Salem, Massachusetts, in the spring of the year 1692. A characters’ motivations, or reasons, for what they do. I There is a narrow window at the left. Through its leaded already know what Samuel Parris does for a living, where panes the morning sunlight streams. A candle still burns near the he lives, and what time period bed, which is at the right. A chest, a chair, and a small table are he is from. From the start, I can draw the conclusion the other furnishings. At the back a door opens on the landing of that Reverend Parris might want to maintain a good the stairway to the ground floor. The room gives off an air of clean reputation in his community. spareness.2 The roof rafters are exposed, and the wood colors are I will watch to see if this is a 3 true motivation for Parris. 10 raw and unmellowed. As the curtain rises, !"#"!"$% +'!!,& is discovered kneeling B HERE’S HOW beside the bed, evidently in prayer.
    [Show full text]
  • The Faustus Myth in the English Novel
    The Faustus Myth in the English Novel The Faustus Myth in the English Novel By Şeyda Sivrioğlu The Faustus Myth in the English Novel By Şeyda Sivrioğlu This book first published 2017 Cambridge Scholars Publishing Lady Stephenson Library, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2PA, UK British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Copyright © 2017 by Şeyda Sivrioğlu All rights for this book reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. ISBN (10): 1-4438-8284-4 ISBN (13): 978-1-4438-8284-2 CONTENTS List of Illustrations .................................................................................... vii Abstract ...................................................................................................... ix Preface ........................................................................................................ xi Introduction ................................................................................................. 1 Chapter One ............................................................................................... 17 The Beginning of the Faustus Myth 1.1 The Historical Faustus ................................................................... 18 1.2 The First Human Curiosity ............................................................ 26 1.3 The Theory
    [Show full text]
  • Kenneth E Hagin
    Hie Origin and Operation of DEMONS Volume 1 of the Satan, Demons, and Demon Possession Series By Kenneth E. Hagin Second Edition First Printing 1983 ISBN 0-89276-025-7 In the U.S. write: In Canada write: Kenneth Hagin Ministries Kenneth Hagin Ministries P.O. Box 50126 P.O. Box 335 Tulsa, Oklahoma 74150 Islington (Toronto), Ontario Canada, M9A 4X3 Copyright ft; 1983 RHEMA Bible Church AKA Kenneth Hagin Ministries, Inc. All Kights Reserved Printed in USA Contents Foreword 1. The Origin of Demons ............ 1 2. The Operation of Demons ...... 12 The Satan, Demons, and Demon Possession Series: Volume 1 — The Origin and Operation of Demons Volume 2 — Demons and How To Deal With Them Volume 3 — Ministering to the Oppressed Volume 4 — Bible Answers to Man's Questions on Demons Foreword The Book of Revelation teaches us, ".. .for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time" (Rev. 12:12). This is the reason there is such an increase of demon activity the world around. The devil knows his time is short. Yet, though demon activity has increased, knowledge in spiritual matters has increased. The Spirit of God said to me concerning this: "There is coming what men call a breakthrough. In the spiritual realm it existed all the time. But in the natural realm a breakthrough is coming in the area of the spirit world and spirit activity — demonology, if you would like to call it that. "Also, a breakthrough is coming in the realm of spirits concerning angels — for they are spirits.
    [Show full text]
  • The History of Western Demonology and Its Role in the Contemporary Nature-Technology Debate
    AS ORIGENS DO PENSAMENTO OCIDENTAL THE ORIGINS OF WESTERN THOUGHT ARTIGO I ARTICLE The Demon of Technology: The History of Western Demonology and its role in the contemporary nature-technology debate Enrico Postiglione i https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5935-424X [email protected] i University of Modena and Reggio Emilia – Reggio Emilia – Italy POSTIGLIONE, E. (2020). The Demon of Technology: The History of Western Demonology and its role in the contemporary nature-technology debate. Archai 29, e02902. Abstract: Contemporary advanced technology seems to raise new and fundamental questions as it apparently provides a human subject with an infinite range of incoming possibilities. Accordingly, research on the implications of technology is massive and splits into hard critics and faithful supporters. Yet, technological activities https://doi.org/10.14195/1984-249X_29_2 [1] 2 Rev. Archai (ISSN: 1984-249X), n. 29, Brasília, 2020, e02902. cannot be defined in terms of their products alone. Indeed, every technological behaviour unfolds the very same tension against what would have been naturally impossible, in absence of that same behaviour. Thus, the debate on technology appears to be independent from any level of technological sophistication, and so its roots can be traced back in the dawn of Western thought. In this article, I argue that the faithful and sceptic views today at stake on hard-technology can be explained as a revival of the twofold attitude towards demons, developed in the history of Western thought. I show how demons have always embodied the human natural limits and the incomprehensible aspects of reality. Exactly as in the case of demons, hard-technology is now seen as a fearful destroyer of both nature understood as a complex system and human naturalness or as a trustful way to save humanity from decay, which complements what is naturally imperfect and, then, perfectible.
    [Show full text]