Thanks for your patience during our recent outage at scalar.usc.edu. While Scalar content is loading normally now, saving is still slow, and Scalar's 'additional metadata' features have been disabled, which may interfere with features like timelines and maps that depend on metadata. This also means that saving a page or media item will remove its additional metadata. If this occurs, you can use the 'All versions' link at the bottom of the page to restore the earlier version. We are continuing to troubleshoot, and will provide further updates as needed. Note that this only affects Scalar projects at scalar.usc.edu, and not those hosted elsewhere.
The Misogyny of WitchcraftMain MenuIntroductionHeinrich Kramer (1430-1505) and Malleus MalleficarumMalleus Maleficarum and MisogynyA noble science?Witchcraft and mental illnessThe beginning of the endList of works in the exhibitionFurther readingSue Luftscheinc3da4f338cfb5c3d980919bd84c8fb083c380bd6
St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
1media/IMG_0413.jpg2022-09-28T14:34:29-07:00Sue Luftscheinc3da4f338cfb5c3d980919bd84c8fb083c380bd64140121image_header12182132022-10-05T09:58:45-07:00Sue Luftscheinc3da4f338cfb5c3d980919bd84c8fb083c380bd6In what are arguably his two most important works, Summa contra gentiles and Summa theologica, St. Thomas Aquinas condemned magic as evil and the work of demons, and its practitioners as criminals who were perpetrating illicit deeds like adultery, theft and homicide; that only God could perform miracles; that the power of magic did not come from nature, but from “bidding”; and that any unnatural occurrence came from demons.
In the Summa theologica, secunda secundae (Part 2b), Aquinas, in Question 96 and its replies, discusses magic and concludes that it is unlawful and futile. Specifically, question 96 addresses superstitions in observances. The four articles ask the following questions: Whether it be unlawful to practice the observance of magic? Whether acts of magic that attempt to heal or harm the human body are unlawful? Whether acts of fortune-telling are unlawful? And whether it is unlawful to wear or carry magic spells/charms? Each article is followed by a set of Objections (i.e. arguments), and Aquinas's replies to those objections.
1media/IMG_0413_thumb.jpg2022-10-03T20:54:58-07:00Sue Luftscheinc3da4f338cfb5c3d980919bd84c8fb083c380bd6Aquinas, Summa theologica title page2media/IMG_0413.jpgfull2022-10-03T21:00:19-07:00Sue Luftscheinc3da4f338cfb5c3d980919bd84c8fb083c380bd6
1media/IMG_0414_thumb.jpg2022-10-03T20:24:48-07:00Sue Luftscheinc3da4f338cfb5c3d980919bd84c8fb083c380bd6Aquinas, Summa theologica, Index page showing Question 964media/IMG_0414.jpgfull2022-10-05T09:46:33-07:00Sue Luftscheinc3da4f338cfb5c3d980919bd84c8fb083c380bd6
1media/IMG_0415_thumb.jpg2022-10-03T20:33:48-07:00Sue Luftscheinc3da4f338cfb5c3d980919bd84c8fb083c380bd6Aquinas, Summa theologica, Question 96, Article 13media/IMG_0415.jpgfull2022-10-03T20:58:57-07:00Sue Luftscheinc3da4f338cfb5c3d980919bd84c8fb083c380bd6
1media/IMG_0416_thumb.jpg2022-10-03T20:34:27-07:00Sue Luftscheinc3da4f338cfb5c3d980919bd84c8fb083c380bd6Aquinas, Summa theologica, Question 96, Article 23media/IMG_0416.jpgfull2022-10-05T14:29:10-07:00Sue Luftscheinc3da4f338cfb5c3d980919bd84c8fb083c380bd6
1media/IMG_0417_thumb.jpg2022-10-03T20:35:05-07:00Sue Luftscheinc3da4f338cfb5c3d980919bd84c8fb083c380bd6Aquinas, Summa theologica, Question 96, Article 2 cont'd2media/IMG_0417.jpgfull2022-10-03T20:59:39-07:00Sue Luftscheinc3da4f338cfb5c3d980919bd84c8fb083c380bd6
1media/IMG_0418_thumb.jpg2022-10-03T20:35:40-07:00Sue Luftscheinc3da4f338cfb5c3d980919bd84c8fb083c380bd6Aquinas, Summa theologica, Question 96, Article 32media/IMG_0418.jpgfull2022-10-03T20:59:57-07:00Sue Luftscheinc3da4f338cfb5c3d980919bd84c8fb083c380bd6