Technic and Magic: The Reconstruction of RealityWe take for granted that only certain kind of things exist – electrons but not angels, passports but not nymphs. This is what we understand as 'reality'. But in fact, 'reality' varies with each era of the world, in turn shaping the field of what is possible to do, think and imagine. Our contemporary age has embraced a troubling and painful form of reality: Technic. Under Technic, the foundations of reality begin to crumble, shrinking the field of the possible and freezing our lives in an anguished state of paralysis. Technic and Magic shows that the way out of the present deadlock lies much deeper than debates on politics or economics. By drawing from an array of Northern and Southern sources – spanning from Heidegger, Junger and Stirner's philosophies, through Pessoa's poetry, to Advaita Vedanta, Bhartrhari, Ibn Arabi, Suhrawardi and Mulla Sadra's theosophies – Magic is presented as an alternative system of reality to Technic. While Technic attempts to capture the world through an 'absolute language', Magic centres its reconstruction of the world around the notion of the 'ineffable' that lies at the heart of existence. Technic and Magic is an original philosophical work, and a timely cultural intervention. It disturbs our understanding of the structure of reality, while restoring it in a new form. This is possibly the most radical act: if we wish to change our world, first we have to change the idea of 'reality' that defines it. |
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absolute language According activity Advaita Vedanta alternative realitysystem annihilation archetypal incarnation architecture aspect atman becoming Bhartrhari centre chain of emanations chapter concept consider constitutes contemporary Corbin cosmogonic force cultural defined descriptive language dimension of existence discussion emerges equivalent existence and essence existential existential experience Fernando Pessoa function fundamental God’s Henry Corbin human hypostasis Ibn Arabi Imam individual ineffable dimension ineffable existence infinite instrument Islamic Philosophy Jünger limitconcept linguistic linguistic dimension living Magic’s cosmogony Magic’s reality Magic’s realitysystem Magic’s world mathematical numbers Max Stirner meaning metaphysical metaphysical nihilism Milano Mulla Sadra mundus imaginalis mystical mythologem Neoplatonic notion object one’s ontological original paradox particular person perspective Pessoa philosophical position possible potential present principle production relationship second hypostasis serial Shia specific sphota structure Sufi Suhrawardi symbol tajalli take place taqiyya Technic’s cosmology Technic’s world things tradition translated ultimately understand University Press word