The Western Magical Tradition - Ronald Hutton

Sdílet
Vložit
  • čas přidán 20. 05. 2024
  • This lecture makes a survey of learned ceremonial magic in Europe throughout history and demonstrates that both of the customary claims made for it by practitioners since the Middle Ages are actually correct: that there is a continuous tradition of it and that it is ultimately derived from ancient Egypt.
    In doing so, it also shows what is distinctive about Western magic.
    This lecture was recorded by Ronald Hutton on 24th April 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London
    Ronald is Gresham Professor of Divinity.
    He is also Professor of History at the University of Bristol.
    The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website:
    www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/w...
    Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/support/
    Website: gresham.ac.uk
    Twitter: / greshamcollege
    Facebook: / greshamcollege
    Instagram: / greshamcollege

Komentáře • 122

  • @thinkingenglish1175
    @thinkingenglish1175 Před 22 dny +38

    The movie going public lost a great opportunity to witness genius when this guy wasn't cast as an Hogwarts professor. Great talk, I learned a lot.

  • @missbornlucky6676
    @missbornlucky6676 Před 18 dny +25

    prof hutton is my favorite lecturer ever. i hope he lives for another 100 years

  • @blogobre
    @blogobre Před 25 dny +64

    Our greatest Dungeon Master explains magic to us.

    • @earlducaine1085
      @earlducaine1085 Před 22 dny +7

      This is really a talk in itself. D&D, from the beginning, amassed and systematized a huge quantity of medieval magical lore, some taken directly from writings about the occult, some taken from fantasy literature which had filtered that information. That systematization has then fed the popular imagination through video games, fantasy literature, TV and cinema.

    • @ebilgrin
      @ebilgrin Před 13 dny +1

      Level 162 and still reporting in.

  • @authormichellefranklin
    @authormichellefranklin Před 26 dny +32

    Always a thrill to see Prof. Hutton's lectures. Please have him on again. Thank you!

  • @TheDailyWitch
    @TheDailyWitch Před 26 dny +18

    Another great lecture by Dr. Hutton.

  • @louisemay974
    @louisemay974 Před 17 dny +8

    Oh my goodness, thank you Gresham! Professor Hutton you are an absolute pleasure to listen to. 👏

  • @molochi
    @molochi Před 25 dny +11

    Wonderful lecture. I'm glad that he mentioned clerical Underground though I've heard it referred to as the secret necromantic underground. Haha.

  • @KernowekTim
    @KernowekTim Před 27 dny +14

    Thank you very much indeed Professor Hutton. 'Magic', as always!

  • @Lemma01
    @Lemma01 Před 26 dny +12

    Nothing changes: the YT adverts that book-end this talk offer to believers instant free heat, Jazz piano in two weeks, even the body of a thirty-year old. Fools with money can be persuaded to hand it over to to scammers. Arguably, a Magician is the second oldest professional. Nice work, Ron. 🎉

    • @kontrarien5721
      @kontrarien5721 Před 25 dny +2

      No coincidence that both the first *and* second oldest professions involve trading valued goods/money for little to no work!

  • @jenniferlevine5406
    @jenniferlevine5406 Před 26 dny +11

    Wonderful presentation. I love listening to the professor speak! This is such fascinating history. Thank you so much!

  • @gunkwretch3697
    @gunkwretch3697 Před 25 dny +19

    Thank you Dr Hutton, and thank you Gresham, education should be free

  • @fleachamberlain1905
    @fleachamberlain1905 Před 15 dny +5

    Surely the most famous witches now-a-days must be Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg from the Discworld, by Terry Pratchett.

  • @kellysouter4381
    @kellysouter4381 Před 25 dny +9

    Dr. Hutton actually has his own playlist I've saved him to

    • @elizabethford7263
      @elizabethford7263 Před 14 dny

      I need to make one! I have playlists from the Rhind lectures from the Society of Scottish Antiquarians

  • @charlottesimonin2551
    @charlottesimonin2551 Před 27 dny +11

    Outstanding presentation!

  • @SophyaAgain
    @SophyaAgain Před 27 dny +8

    Wow another Prof. Hutton lecture! Love his "stories".

  • @worthlessendeavors
    @worthlessendeavors Před 27 dny +21

    Thank you Dr. Hutton for your endless inspirations!!!!

  • @anayrre2062
    @anayrre2062 Před 27 dny +8

    I am so excited for this, thank you Dr. Hutton!

  • @gorbalsboy
    @gorbalsboy Před 10 dny +1

    What a treasure this man is , fantastic talk😊

  • @guillemclapes5587
    @guillemclapes5587 Před 27 dny +9

    Brilliant lecture, thank you!

  • @JCRezonna-dl5qz
    @JCRezonna-dl5qz Před 26 dny +8

    My Ronald Hutton clip watching procedure: 1. Click on clip. 2. Click on 'like'. 3. Watch and enjoy.

  • @verhalenvrouwe
    @verhalenvrouwe Před 27 dny +9

    Very interesting lecture. Thanks!

  • @jonweber.8.756
    @jonweber.8.756 Před 17 dny +2

    Hooo boy a new Hutton lecture!

  • @yarrowwitch
    @yarrowwitch Před 26 dny +11

    Splendid, Ronald. Thank you. 😊

  • @GlassEyedDetectives
    @GlassEyedDetectives Před 26 dny +25

    A thoroughly enjoyable presentation from Dr Hutton, thank you. Magic as been going strong throughout our supposedly more rational, sophisticated modern society to this present day and will carry on doing so unless people get a truer understanding of their own nature, and to recognize the modern manifestations such as; Advertising and Politics to give just a couple of examples of how individuals and groups can easily be moved as if by 'remote control', to make choices not necessarily in their own best interests, but rather serve the agency executing the magical incantations.

    • @MrZauberelefant
      @MrZauberelefant Před 19 dny

      This of course attributes to techniques of mass manipulation much more power than they deserve. The sorcerers apprentice of our time, Putin, is now coming to realize that his spells all failed, that the curses of propaganda and corruption all fizzled out.
      What moves people is not magic, but faith, ideology, and self interest, not sorcery and illusion.

  • @evolassunglasses4673
    @evolassunglasses4673 Před 26 dny +4

    Wonderful!

  • @user-qp4ft4tr1x
    @user-qp4ft4tr1x Před 22 dny +2

    I really wish I had the opportunity to sit in on some of your courses! Love the lecture series, just a great way to relax and learn a little as well... Look forward to the next!

  • @aristotleinbottle8012
    @aristotleinbottle8012 Před 26 dny +5

    beautiful

  • @frank327
    @frank327 Před 26 dny +6

    Fascinating as always

  • @ArteaLanora
    @ArteaLanora Před 25 dny +3

    If anyone is curious, the QR code at 0:07 does work and you can see some of the questions.

  • @thishandleistacken
    @thishandleistacken Před 24 dny +3

    It's fascinating seeing Gresham College take the history of magic and atheism just as seriously. Commendable! Makes sense too since the Rosicucian inspired Invisible College met there to organize the creation of The Royal Society (making it a focal point for the weaving of magic, politics and secular science)

  • @BangThatGong
    @BangThatGong Před 26 dny +5

    I see hutton in the thumbnail I hit play

  • @jeanettewaverly2590
    @jeanettewaverly2590 Před 23 dny +2

    “Police arrested Magic
    And Magic went with them.”
    -Leonard Cohen

  • @martinonroll
    @martinonroll Před 26 dny +2

    Brilliant

  • @BardzoPowaznyUzytkownik
    @BardzoPowaznyUzytkownik Před 24 dny +3

    There's quite a lot of Hoopoes now around in mainland England. There's more and more accounters of them in birdwatchers groups.

  • @paulmagus2133
    @paulmagus2133 Před 24 dny +2

    DR Hutton is one of my top rockstars. From Monad too creation, all filters forth to return

  • @lindasue8719
    @lindasue8719 Před 11 dny +1

    Guy in the audience "it doesn't work". What a dear😁

  • @mistydawnoliver6717
    @mistydawnoliver6717 Před 17 dny

    I love this man!

  • @TheManOnlyLegend
    @TheManOnlyLegend Před 22 dny

    So very interesting

  • @julianhatton1109
    @julianhatton1109 Před 23 dny +2

    Great Show

  • @garydavidson5524
    @garydavidson5524 Před 23 dny +2

    Thank you, well elucidated

  • @jape7588
    @jape7588 Před 17 dny

    Professor Hutton is great

  • @SkiiDreamr420
    @SkiiDreamr420 Před 14 dny

    Bravo! Bravo! 👏 Encore! Encore!
    This Lecture is as fine as the suit!
    Please, always, have more of our wonderful
    PROFESSOR of DIVINITY Ronald Hutton
    Lecture Us.
    Any lecture, any time, if it's him, I have time!

  • @user-fm8zp9vp4q
    @user-fm8zp9vp4q Před 25 dny +2

    There are cases of witch trials in ancient Greece too. Theoris of Lemnos was executed for witchkraft along with her children -or her hole family or all of her kind (according to varius translations of the word "γένος") (Demosthenes "Against Aristogeiton")
    Socrates in his trial claims the power to curse everyone to their doom as a man who is about to die. Pythagoras, Empedocles and other philosophers seem to follow some kind of magical practice before the Egyptian influence.

  • @conjurelaboratories
    @conjurelaboratories Před 2 dny +1

    Hold on.. When did Ron Hutton become a Professor of Divinity? Is this like when he declared himself a third degree Alexandrian Wiccan High Priest? Is he still a Wiccan now he runs his Druid group in Bristol?

  • @geoffmelnick1472
    @geoffmelnick1472 Před 18 dny

    Absolutely fascinating lecture - one point though, I have always associated the magic circle with Honi HaMeagel חוני המעגל (c. 1st century ce) who makes a circle, sits in the center and commands the rain - See Mishna Taanit 3 8.
    True there are no compass points and no sign of a pentagram

  • @mikesummers-smith4091
    @mikesummers-smith4091 Před 27 dny +2

    Hoopoes are spectacular birds, but so are e.g. kingfishers, rollers and bee-eaters. The only thing which singles them out for me are their notoriously foul-smelling nests.
    The simplest way to make a pentagram is to tie a knot in a cloth or paper tape. Try it.

  • @danielgregg2530
    @danielgregg2530 Před 26 dny +2

    I always knew this guy was one of Harry Potter's instructors . . .

  • @knowone3529
    @knowone3529 Před 24 dny +1

    Moment for Gary Gygax

  • @andylyon3867
    @andylyon3867 Před 8 dny +1

    Literacy that comes from fasting and meditation so one can feel what arises within emotionally while reading is real literacy which must be first and continually strengthened or none of such learning/being well read can occur.
    This also must occur along side moral development....a black witch does not exist or not for long as the loss of power or fall is very fast. Lucifer focused on knowledge and fell, it is only humble motivation by love that brings these writings to be useful for developing power.
    Which is to say, as throughout history, less than 3% of the population today has basic literacy. This also hints at the importance of poetry for developing an awaking of basic literacy.

  • @michellerenner6880
    @michellerenner6880 Před 23 dny

    Was just wishing there was something new from the great dr Hutton.

  • @jackdarby2168
    @jackdarby2168 Před dnem

    Ronald Hutton, Richard Kieckhefer

  • @fayeworman9552
    @fayeworman9552 Před 21 dnem +1

    Mr Norrell would approve.

  • @gorbalsboy
    @gorbalsboy Před 10 dny

    With the temple priests in Egypt being so powerful you can see why they demonised magic, makes me wonder if the Egyptians stopped building massive pyramids and enlarged the temples to appease the priests and keep them on his side

  • @muster_mark
    @muster_mark Před 17 dny +1

    Ronnie the Hutt!

  • @BrentJJ
    @BrentJJ Před 26 dny +2

    Fantastic...thank you...💚

  • @aariley2
    @aariley2 Před 26 dny +2

    How do other magic traditions like Native American and Asian come to be then?

  • @yensid4294
    @yensid4294 Před 25 dny +1

  • @livrowland171
    @livrowland171 Před 26 dny +1

    I'm interested to know if any research has been done on whether any magical acts seem to have an effect on the world beyond changes in the mental state of the practitioner 🤔 Edit: I see how he partly answered this towards the end

    • @Mai-Gninwod
      @Mai-Gninwod Před 26 dny +1

      Magic does not have an effect on the material world, no. If it did, it would be classified as science in the modern day. Perhaps in the past there was overlap. Something that was thought to be magical may also have had real world effects. But not because of magic.

    • @michaelmurdock4607
      @michaelmurdock4607 Před 19 dny

      Arthur C Clark famously noted that science, sufficiently advanced (relative to the viewer, it must be understood), is indistinguishable from magic.
      If you don't believe the truth of this, think about some of the unique interactions you've had with aging or intermittently buggy equipment. You're not sure why tapping the old computer's side just right 3 times and threatening to drop it in a shredder gets it to boot, but it does. Congratulations, you've unconsciously performed a "magical ritual."

  • @anibrown5374
    @anibrown5374 Před 23 dny +1

    Frances Barrett and Paracelsus could have used a mention.

  • @thegroove2000
    @thegroove2000 Před 14 dny

    Parliament is a magic trick. The illusion of power.

  • @AnnaSibirskaja
    @AnnaSibirskaja Před 26 dny +1

  • @godoforder1828
    @godoforder1828 Před 24 dny

    Does dr Hutton has any parentage or association with renowned Dr Edward Hutton?

  • @lacrimassenzio
    @lacrimassenzio Před 21 dnem

    Where there is a law, to condemn some specific act, be sure people are doing that act, a lot!

  • @rosemaryjane7110
    @rosemaryjane7110 Před 21 dnem

    Just thought something funny. The code of Hammurabi was written during the time of the invasion by the Elohim. Could it have been that the invading gods were jealous of our human talent? Maybe these psychic and magical humans were a threat? They certainly DID wipe out our non material traditions.

  • @randomxaos
    @randomxaos Před 17 dny

    Is he AI? That is the most proper cool outfit ever

  • @FrankMonday
    @FrankMonday Před 15 dny

    Magick works most of the time, even for the inept. Medicine is an established set of beliefs based on empirical studies (science) that most educated people believe in, thus the effects brought about by these techniques work most of the time. Much like Magick.

    • @FrankMonday
      @FrankMonday Před 15 dny

      Seems the placebo effect is in play more than you would imagine. Case study: there’s an invisible enemy, terror, virus, communism, etc. an incantation if you will, masses of people believe and start finding said enemy everywhere. Even where none exists. This scenario played out to such an extreme that society has been forever altered.

    • @FrankMonday
      @FrankMonday Před 15 dny

      Are these not Magickal effects?

    • @FrankMonday
      @FrankMonday Před 15 dny

      Are these not Magickal effects?

  • @justin12537
    @justin12537 Před 16 dny +1

    What if the Romans changed the official view of magic from the Greeks because the Romans wanted to control the world and everyone running around using magic would have been a problem. Ammon said it

    • @SkiiDreamr420
      @SkiiDreamr420 Před 14 dny

      Oh! That's interesting 🤔 and very likely true!
      Even the bible says be wise as serpents, harmless as doves.
      So, even the knowledge was likely a threat to them. Knowing a power other than that of the Faces&Ax...
      Oh my. There's so much to think of, research on.
      My goodness, what a fire 🔥 you started here!
      Thank you❤

    • @justin12537
      @justin12537 Před 14 dny

      @@SkiiDreamr420 I just found this channel of a Greek classisist. He breaks it all down. Fascinating. The Catholic Church official charged him with opening portals. lol. Shout out Dr Ammon Hillman. Lady Babylon is his channel

  • @GG-ux8ii
    @GG-ux8ii Před 20 dny +1

    This lecture assumes that the divination and ritual magic that Romani people brought into all of these areas had no effect on the magic practiced. It still has effect on modern magic practice, including superstitions, tarot/cartomancy in general, and some ritual sacrifices as well

    • @GG-ux8ii
      @GG-ux8ii Před 20 dny

      Oh ! And how could I forget palmistry as well

    • @GG-ux8ii
      @GG-ux8ii Před 18 dny

      @@TwisterTornado we invented tarot and palmistry and some sacrifices go back into our days as adivasi in India you don’t know what you’re talking about, gorger

    • @GG-ux8ii
      @GG-ux8ii Před 18 dny

      @@TwisterTornado also, cartomancy in general was in china first then India then we created tarot, a specific form of cartomancy for divination. Then it was appropriated by Europeans like they did with our dances and music too ! Any which way that we entertained them while they enslaved us. For hundreds of years. “ chauvinism “ please don’t use words that big of you don’t know what they mean, spare us the sanctimonious gotchas that mean nothing and have no basis. If you only know who Sarah la Kali is you’re in trouble, especially because we didn’t practice Hinduism lol

    • @GG-ux8ii
      @GG-ux8ii Před 16 dny

      @@TwisterTornado no we left India, never went back. And it’s ROMA. Without the d.

    • @GG-ux8ii
      @GG-ux8ii Před 16 dny

      @@TwisterTornado that’s quite literally what gorger means. Non Roma. For somebody claiming they know so much you don’t know even the basics. Also tsalagi historically have no issues with us, at least none that you don’t have with other freedman

  • @acatssoftnose3940
    @acatssoftnose3940 Před 14 dny

    0:23 cute pic >_

  • @realherbalism1017
    @realherbalism1017 Před 22 dny

    Techniques of Graeco-Egyptian Magic & Techniques of Solomonic Magic by Stephen Skinner has already covered much of this & it's been written several years before this video. EDIT: Some of the material in this lecture is suspect. I recommend your own research.

  • @thefinestsake1660
    @thefinestsake1660 Před 11 dny

    MOUTH SOUNDS!
    If I wasn't watching, I'd have thought he was eating hotwings.

  • @abbasalchemist
    @abbasalchemist Před 24 dny +1

    In many cases there isn't a clear distinction between religion and magic. Any delineations we make are strongly influenced by a traditionally Abrahamic view of religiosity.

  • @diamonddylanpage7150
    @diamonddylanpage7150 Před 9 dny

    People say you are one in a million but there's 7 billion on the planet so you are not special. Winning the lottery is very slim but someone does every day somewhere. I believe in life elsewhere why wouldn't you

  • @peterliebe829
    @peterliebe829 Před 26 dny +2

    Ze Hutton takes out ze magick of anything 😢

  • @DJK-cq2uy
    @DJK-cq2uy Před 20 dny

    Looks very disturbed

  • @DonBailey-od1de
    @DonBailey-od1de Před 20 dny

    Think , your quite mad ,

  • @user-ug2yz6vb7p
    @user-ug2yz6vb7p Před 19 dny

    Divination for intrigue? Okay, well we will see how that works for you disobedient "teachers". Teaching anyone anything for fun and amusement. It is time you see what you play around with says Me.

  • @LeeGee
    @LeeGee Před 27 dny

    The Ancient Hebrews did not live in 'Palestine' at the time discussed, as any historian ought to know if they aren't bought and paid for. Poor show, Hutton. Disappointed.

    • @hannahbrown2728
      @hannahbrown2728 Před 27 dny +9

      Sorry for him using a colloquialism, not everyone is familiar with the word, Levant

    • @iainbaines4337
      @iainbaines4337 Před 27 dny +14

      Southern Levant referred to as Palestine from at least 5th century BCE which included Canaanite states, as well as kingdoms of Israel and Judaea…region of Palestine is not necessarily same as Islamic Palestinian states for the 13 centuries up to 1947

    • @livrowland171
      @livrowland171 Před 27 dny +11

      The geographic area has often been referred to that way since Roman times

    • @kg8489
      @kg8489 Před 26 dny +13

      Triggered lol

    • @kskssxoxskskss2189
      @kskssxoxskskss2189 Před 26 dny +7

      Oh, please.

  • @judithparker4608
    @judithparker4608 Před 23 dny

    ""METRIC DISCOUNT CURRENCY BUY WIN SWITCH MARITIME""

  • @Sociology_Tube
    @Sociology_Tube Před 25 dny

    vedic culture is way okder than egypts ccontinuing till today

    • @kontrarien5721
      @kontrarien5721 Před 25 dny +2

      Yet not a basis for the western tradition.

    • @geroldbendix1651
      @geroldbendix1651 Před 21 dnem +2

      Yeah, because the west just begins at the Iranian border 😅
      Certainly there were no interactions with India whatsoever 🤪

    • @sonnylambert4893
      @sonnylambert4893 Před 16 dny

      ​@kontrarien5721 lots of influence that you apparently are not enlightened enough to be aware of.

    • @dugebuwembo
      @dugebuwembo Před 4 dny

      Vedic culture is not older than Ancient Egypt, Pharoanic Egyptian civilisation gestated circa 3100BC fully formed with all the recognisable traits that are known, the roots of Ancient Egyptian culture stretch back before 3100BC with predynastic period.

    • @geroldbendix1651
      @geroldbendix1651 Před 2 dny

      @@dugebuwembo
      There is a different approach in the common western secularist history and the vedic cosmology, which is theistic.
      Western history is bound by the performance of modern scientistic measurements, whereas vedic cosmology was written down by Vyasadeva 5000 years ago.

  • @judithparker4608
    @judithparker4608 Před 23 dny

    ""METRIC DISCOUNT CURRENCY WIN BUY SWITCH TRADE MARITIME""

  • @ryandelong2759
    @ryandelong2759 Před 2 hodinami

    Magic is the previous civilizations science which was the ancient Egyptians. They used a pictographic language which is the image of the beast because the Pharoahs were northern Han and the progeny of Neanderthals. The image of the beast is a language you don’t know. A pictographic language. The Northern Han Neanderthal crime family has been marked for extermination. Psalm 21 KJV