The nature of magic in De arte magica of Francisco de Vitoria

Abstract

This article aims to show the historical-theological conception about the nature and fundamentals of magic in the context of the Relectio de arte magica (1540) by Francisco de Vitoria (1486-1546). The devoted interest in the occult sciences on the part of Renaissance men and women is an unquestionable historical fact. Hence the interest and, at times, the fight by theologians against such knowledge, considered to be heterodox, fanciful, immoral and without foundation. This paper seeks to show Vitoria’s view; how his opinion may present a certain concession to such occult knowledge, starting from the investigation of its historical and philosophical foundations that determine the nature of magic. If this optimistic, i.e., moderate and non-combative concession is to be made, the question arises: why should a theologian operating within theological orthodoxy make concessions and consider the knowledge of magic, i.e., the set of beliefs as subject to rational foundation and speculation? One solution would be to claim that the general background idea in such an intellectual stance consists in its universalistic view of theological ideas as applied to the great human questions.

Keywords: Philosophy of nature, epistemology, theory of magic, belief.