Technic and Magic - by Federico Campagna (Hardcover)
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<p/><br></br><p><b> About the Book </b></p></br></br>Presents an alternative reality-system to the dominate, Western approach of technology, through an exploration of the notion of magic in the role of reality-engineering, drawing on Islamic and Hindu philosophies.<p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br>We 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. <br/> <br/>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. <i>Technic and Magic </i>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. <br/><br/> <i>Technic and Magic</i> 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.<p/><br></br><p><b> Review Quotes </b></p></br></br><br>Both Technic and Magic are used by us to change the world. However, as Frederico Campagna argues, Technic serves the accumulation of power whereas Magic, on the contrary, protects life and its value. In his fascinating book Campagna makes a parcours through the Indian, Islamic and old Gnostic sources to discover the hidden, hermetic tradition of magical thinking that keeps its relevance also for our contemporary condition.<br><br>Federico Campagna's book is a brilliant <i>tour de force</i> that oscillates between lucid analyses of philosophical concepts, bridging the gap between Eastern and Western frameworks, and radical propositions for alternative worlds. By attempting to galvanize human perception out of its paralyzed and bordered state, what William Blake refers to as 'the narrow chinks of [our] cavern', Campagna expertly unravels the very foundations upon which our contemporary reality sits. <i>Technic and Magic</i> gradually builds towards a new and striking reconfiguration of reality that merges together the past, present and future.<br><br>Federico Campagna's brilliant <i>Technic and Magic</i> is essential reading for our desperate times. This stunning historical and philosophical exploration radically transforms our understanding of the global technological culture we now inhabit.<br><p/><br></br><p><b> About the Author </b></p></br></br><b>Federico Campagna</b> is an Italian philosopher based in London. He is the author of <i>The Last Night: anti-Work, Atheism, Adventure</i> (2013) and <i>What We Are Fighting For: a Radical Collective Manifesto</i> (2012) and visiting lecturer at Royal College of Art, UK.
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