Sciences of the Occult: Magical Thinking for the Enlightened Modern

Do disembodied spirits communicate with those able to hear their messages?  Do magical spells work?  Does astrology accurately predict the future? Do people communicate telepathically? Do we alter reality with the power of our minds?  Such possibilities seem to contradict the physical laws of the universe, and yet many of us have experiences that are not easily explained by or even compatible with those laws. Shouldn't we test and revise our knowledge when we encounter phenomena that can't be explained by existing methodologies, philosophies, and spiritual systems?  And how do we evaluate the capabilities and limitations of competing or alternative explanatory models?

This course assumes (1) that it is worth exploring weird, anomalous experiences and (2) that there are ways of making sense of them.  Magicians, alchemists, natural philosophers, psychics, spirit mediums, shamans and healers have developed rigorous systems of thought and practice for understanding and making use of occult forces. By considering the philosophies and tools they offer, in combination with contemporary studies of paranormal phenomena, we will develop ways to talk intelligently about anomalous experiences.  By the end of the course, we will have greater clarity about many wonders of nature and consciousness that remain to be explored.

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."  [Hamlet, 1.5.166-7]