Science of the Magical

Science of the Magical PDF Author: Matt Kaplan
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1476777101
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 256

Get Book Here

Book Description
"Can migrations of birds foretell our future? Do phases of the moon hold sway over our lives? Are there sacred springs that cure the ill? What is the best way to brew a love potion? How do we create mutant humans who regenerate like Wolverine? In [this book], noted science journalist Matt Kaplan plumbs the rich, lively, and surprising history of the magical objects, places, and rituals that infuse ancient and contemporary myth"--Amazon.com.

Science of the Magical

Science of the Magical PDF Author: Matt Kaplan
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1476777101
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 256

Get Book Here

Book Description
"Can migrations of birds foretell our future? Do phases of the moon hold sway over our lives? Are there sacred springs that cure the ill? What is the best way to brew a love potion? How do we create mutant humans who regenerate like Wolverine? In [this book], noted science journalist Matt Kaplan plumbs the rich, lively, and surprising history of the magical objects, places, and rituals that infuse ancient and contemporary myth"--Amazon.com.

Experiencing the Impossible

Experiencing the Impossible PDF Author: Gustav Kuhn
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 026203946X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 292

Get Book Here

Book Description
How the scientific study of magic reveals intriguing—and often unsettling—insights into the mysteries of the human mind. What do we see when we watch a magician pull a rabbit out of a hat or read a person's mind? We are captivated by an illusion; we applaud the fact that we have been fooled. Why do we enjoy experiencing what seems clearly impossible, or at least beyond our powers of explanation? In Experiencing the Impossible, Gustav Kuhn examines the psychological processes that underpin our experience of magic. Kuhn, a psychologist and a magician, reveals the intriguing—and often unsettling—insights into the human mind that the scientific study of magic provides.Magic, Kuhn explains, creates a cognitive conflict between what we believe to be true (for example, a rabbit could not be in that hat) and what we experience (a rabbit has just come out of that hat!). Drawing on the latest psychological, neurological, and philosophical research, he suggests that misdirection is at the heart of all magic tricks, and he offers a scientific theory of misdirection. He explores, among other topics, our propensity for magical thinking, the malleability of our perceptual experiences, forgetting and misremembering, free will and mind control, and how magic is applied outside entertaiment—the use of illusion in human-computer interaction, politics, warfare, and elsewhere. We may be surprised to learn how little of the world we actually perceive, how little we can trust what we see and remember, and how little we are in charge of our thoughts and actions. Exploring magic, Kuhn illuminates the complex—and almost magical—mechanisms underlying our daily activities.

The Science of Monsters

The Science of Monsters PDF Author: Matt Kaplan
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 145166799X
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 256

Get Book Here

Book Description
"Previously published as Medusa's gaze and vampire's bite by Scribner"--Title page verso.

Magic, Mystery, and Science

Magic, Mystery, and Science PDF Author: Dan Burton
Publisher: Indiana University Press
ISBN: 9780253216564
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 414

Get Book Here

Book Description
"[P.D. Ouspensky's] yearning for a transcendent, timeless reality—one that cancels out physical disintegration and death—figures into science at some fundamental level. Einstein found solace in his theory of relativity, which suggested to him that events are ever-present in the space-time continuum. When his friend Michele Besso passed on shortly before his own death, he wrote: 'For us believing physicists the distinction between past, present, and future is only an illusion, even if a stubborn one.'" —from Magic, Mystery, and Science The triumph of science would appear to have routed all other explanations of reality. No longer does astrology or alchemy or magic have the power to explain the world to us. Yet at one time each of these systems of belief, like religion, helped shed light on what was dark to our understanding. Nor have the occult arts disappeared. We humans have a need for mystery and a sense of the infinite. Magic, Mystery, and Science presents the occult as a "third stream" of belief, as important to the shaping of Western civilization as Greek rationalism or Judeo-Christianity. The occult seeks explanations in a world that is living and intelligent—quite unlike the one supposed by science. By taking these beliefs seriously, while keeping an eye on science, this book aims to capture some of the power of the occult. Readers will discover that the occult has a long history that reaches back to Babylonia and ancient Egypt. It proceeds alongside, and frequently mingles with, religion and science. From the Egyptian Book of the Dead to New Age beliefs, from Plato to Adolf Hitler, occult ways of knowing have been used—and hideously abused—to explain a world that still tempts us with the knowledge of its dark secrets.

The Magic Science of the Future

The Magic Science of the Future PDF Author: Joseph F. Goodavage
Publisher: Signet
ISBN: 9780451070814
Category : Occultism
Languages : en
Pages : 197

Get Book Here

Book Description


The Book of Immortality

The Book of Immortality PDF Author: Adam Gollner
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1439109435
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 416

Get Book Here

Book Description
An exploration of one of the most universal human obsessions charts the rise of longevity science from its alchemical beginnings to modern-day genetic interventions and enters the world of those whose lives are shaped by a belief in immortality.

A Magical World

A Magical World PDF Author: Derek K Wilson
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1681777061
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 234

Get Book Here

Book Description
Spanning some of the most vibrant and fascinating eras in European history, Cambridge historian Derek Wilson reveals a society filled with an ardent desire for knowledge and astounding discoveries—and the fantastic discoveries that flowered from it. Thinkers were drew from surprising intellectual traditions: some from folk religion, which in its turn had deep roots in a pagan past; others referred to spirits or tapped into stores of ancient wisdom and herbal remedies. This was the world of wise women, witches, necromancers, potions and incantations. Even the mighty Catholic Church, which permeated all elements of life, had its own "magical" traditions.In 1663, the Royal Society in London received its charter. Just three years later, the French Academy of Sciences was founded, and other European capitals rapidly followed suit. In 1725, the word "science" was at last defined as "a branch of study concerned either with a connected body of demonstrated truths or with observed facts systematically classified." Yet just nine years before, the last witch had been executed in Britain. Fascinating and thought-provoking, A Magical World is a reminder of humanity's paradoxical nature—our passionate pursuit of knowledge alongside deep-rooted fears, superstitions, and traditions.

It's Not Magic, It's Science!

It's Not Magic, It's Science! PDF Author: Hope Buttitta
Publisher: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.
ISBN: 9781579908836
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 86

Get Book Here

Book Description
Every child who performs these 50 fabulous feats will feel like a magician--but the magic here is really science at play. Every trick in the book has a sound, easy-to-understand scientific explanation that will stimulate kids’ understanding of basic concepts. Even as they’re having fun, children will wow the crowd by poking a skewer through a balloon without making it pop, or balancing a penny on a coat hanger. Nothing’s cooler than watching a real egg get sucked into a glass bottle, picking up ice without even touching it, or whipping up fizzy and colorful solutions that any mad scientist would prize. Wild optical illusions will boggle the mind and astound the eye.

Science is Magic

Science is Magic PDF Author: Steve Mould
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Ltd
ISBN: 0241399114
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 98

Get Book Here

Book Description
Learn how to perform magic tricks and illusions using simple science experiments in this children's activity ebook for kids aged 7-9. Join science presenter Steve Mould, #1 bestselling author of How to be a Scientist, to find out the secrets behind amazing magic tricks. Learn how to bend water with a balloon, make a glass beaker disappear in oil, and wow your friends with levitating tinsel! Each magic trick is explained using step-by-step photography, with the science behind each one described clearly and simply. Plus, interspersed throughout the book you'll find out how legendary magicians and illusionists, such as Harry Houdini, used science when performing their most famous tricks. Kids will love impressing their friends and families with simple magic tricks that teach them valuable science lessons at the same time. Packed with optical illusions and fun facts - Science is Magic is a must for any wannabe scientist or magician.

Science and Magic in the Modern World

Science and Magic in the Modern World PDF Author: Eugene Subbotsky
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 0429954700
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 356

Get Book Here

Book Description
Science and Magic in the Modern World is a unique text that explores the role of magical thinking in everyday life. It provides an excellent psychological look at the subconscious belief in magic in both popular culture and society, as well as experimental research that considers human consciousness as a derivative of belief in the supernatural, thus showing that our feelings, emotions, attitudes and other psychological processes follow the laws of magic. This book synthesises the science of ‘natural’ phenomena and the magic of the ‘supernatural’ to present an interesting look at the juxtaposition of the inner and outer selves. Fusing research into psychological disorders, subconscious feelings, as well as the rising presence of artificial intelligence, this book demonstrates how an engagement with magical thinking can enhance one’s creativity and cognitive skills. Science and Magic in the Modern World is an invaluable resource for those studying consciousness, as well as those looking at the effect of magical thinking on religion, politics, science and society.