Esotericism, Occultism, and Magic: The Case of Gurdjieff and Crowley
Is it possible to satisfactorily define the words “esotericism,” “occultism,” and “magic”? Do these terms have any utility? Can “esotericism” be understood without reference to a complement such as “exotericism”? It is suggested that esotericism held a niche place in Western culture even before the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Aren Roukema
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Correspondences |
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| Online Access: | https://correspondencesjournal.com/ojs/ojs/index.php/home/article/download/110/109 |
| _version_ | 1818859339493933056 |
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| author | Joseph Azize |
| author_facet | Joseph Azize |
| author_sort | Joseph Azize |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Is it possible to satisfactorily define the words “esotericism,” “occultism,” and “magic”? Do these terms have any utility? Can “esotericism” be understood without reference to a complement such as “exotericism”? It is suggested that esotericism held a niche place in Western culture even before the rise of Western esotericism in the nineteenth century, although the word was rarely employed. After a study of the terms, and especially of the concepts they reference, the alleged similarity of G. I. Gurdjieff and Aleister Crowley is taken as a case study. I compare their methods and teachings, their meetings, and the applicability of these three terms to these figures, asking if Gurdjieff’s and Crowley’s systems were esoteric, occult, both, or neither. This discussion provides the occasion to consider the “argument from silence,” and its validity in historical studies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T09:10:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6efe894371ea44aab2990f8d350a627d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2053-7158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T09:10:37Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | Aren Roukema |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Correspondences |
| spelling | doaj.art-6efe894371ea44aab2990f8d350a627d2022-12-21T20:28:12ZengAren RoukemaCorrespondences2053-71582020-12-018215721799Esotericism, Occultism, and Magic: The Case of Gurdjieff and CrowleyJoseph AzizeIs it possible to satisfactorily define the words “esotericism,” “occultism,” and “magic”? Do these terms have any utility? Can “esotericism” be understood without reference to a complement such as “exotericism”? It is suggested that esotericism held a niche place in Western culture even before the rise of Western esotericism in the nineteenth century, although the word was rarely employed. After a study of the terms, and especially of the concepts they reference, the alleged similarity of G. I. Gurdjieff and Aleister Crowley is taken as a case study. I compare their methods and teachings, their meetings, and the applicability of these three terms to these figures, asking if Gurdjieff’s and Crowley’s systems were esoteric, occult, both, or neither. This discussion provides the occasion to consider the “argument from silence,” and its validity in historical studies.https://correspondencesjournal.com/ojs/ojs/index.php/home/article/download/110/109g. i. gurdjieffaleister crowleya. r. orageesotericism in the gospelspythagoreanismh. p. blavatskyargument from silenceargument ad ignorantiam |
| spellingShingle | Joseph Azize Esotericism, Occultism, and Magic: The Case of Gurdjieff and Crowley Correspondences g. i. gurdjieff aleister crowley a. r. orage esotericism in the gospels pythagoreanism h. p. blavatsky argument from silence argument ad ignorantiam |
| title | Esotericism, Occultism, and Magic: The Case of Gurdjieff and Crowley |
| title_full | Esotericism, Occultism, and Magic: The Case of Gurdjieff and Crowley |
| title_fullStr | Esotericism, Occultism, and Magic: The Case of Gurdjieff and Crowley |
| title_full_unstemmed | Esotericism, Occultism, and Magic: The Case of Gurdjieff and Crowley |
| title_short | Esotericism, Occultism, and Magic: The Case of Gurdjieff and Crowley |
| title_sort | esotericism occultism and magic the case of gurdjieff and crowley |
| topic | g. i. gurdjieff aleister crowley a. r. orage esotericism in the gospels pythagoreanism h. p. blavatsky argument from silence argument ad ignorantiam |
| url | https://correspondencesjournal.com/ojs/ojs/index.php/home/article/download/110/109 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT josephazize esotericismoccultismandmagicthecaseofgurdjieffandcrowley |