Aisthetics of the Spirits

Spirits in Early Modaern Science, Religion, Literature and Music

Contributions by Sibylle Baumbach Contributions by Brenno Boccadoro Contributions by Patrizia Carmassi Contributions by Stephen Clusas Contributions by Peter Forshaw Contributions by Bettina Full Contributions by Tobias Georges Contributions by Delfina Giovannozzi Contributions by Christopher I. Lehrich Contributions by Grantley McDonald Contributions by Angela Leona Oster Contributions by Bruce R. Smith Contributions by Jan Söffner Contributions by Philipp Theisohn Contributions by Melanie Wald-Fuhrmann Contributions by Carlos Watzka Contributions by Christoph J. Steppich Edited by Steffen Schneider

Book cover: Aisthetics of the Spirits

Extent: 509 pages

Publisher: V&R unipress

Subjects: Cultural Studies, Early Modern & Renaissance Studies

Language: German

Hardback (Published)

(May 2015)

ISBN: 9783847104230

6.3 x 9.33 inches

Price: $150.00

In stock

The notion ‘spirit’ is dazzling: it has manifold meanings and plays a crucial role in Early Modern medicine, psychology, religion, natural philosophy and cosmology. This book explores how those disciplines conceived of the spirits and shows that knowledge of the spirits is an essential prerequisite for the understanding of Renaissance literature and music. The volume focusses on the way in which the spirits act upon the soul’s perception, imagination and cognition, and on the cultural practices which aim to use or to purge or to ban the spirits.


English summary: The notion ‘spirit’ is dazzling: it has manifold meanings and plays a crucial role in Early Modern medicine, psychology, religion, natural philosophy and cosmology. This book contains twenty papers, written by international experts; it explores how those disciplines conceived of the spirits and shows that knowledge of the spirits is an essential prerequisite for the understanding of Renaissance literature and music. The volume focuses on the way in which the spirits act upon the soul’s perception, imagination and cognition, and on the cultural practices which aim to use, to purge, or to ban the spirits. German description: Der Begriff des Spiritus ist schillernd: mit seinen vielfaltigen Bedeutungen bildet er einen zentralen Bezugspunkt fur die fruhneuzeitliche Medizin, Psychologie, Religion, Naturerkenntnis und Kosmologie. Das Buch enthalt zwanzig Beitrage von internationalen Experten, es untersucht die Konzeptionen der Spiritus in diesen Disziplinen und zeigt, dass deren Kenntnis eine wichtige Voraussetzung fur das Verstandnis vormoderner Literatur und Musik darstellt. Der Band fokussiert die Rolle der Spiritus fur Wahrnehmung, Vorstellung und Erkenntnis und die kulturellen Praktiken, mit denen die Geister genutzt oder gebannt werden konnen.

  • Contributions by Sibylle Baumbach
  • Contributions by Brenno Boccadoro
  • Contributions by Patrizia Carmassi
  • Contributions by Stephen Clusas
  • Contributions by Peter Forshaw
  • Contributions by Bettina Full
  • Contributions by Tobias Georges
  • Contributions by Delfina Giovannozzi
  • Contributions by Christopher I. Lehrich
  • Contributions by Grantley McDonald
  • Contributions by Angela Leona Oster
  • Contributions by Bruce R. Smith
  • Contributions by Jan Söffner
  • Contributions by Philipp Theisohn
  • Contributions by Melanie Wald-Fuhrmann
  • Contributions by Carlos Watzka
  • Contributions by Christoph J. Steppich
  • Edited by Steffen Schneider