The place of magic in the intellectual history of Europe

"The Place of Magic in the Intellectual History of Europe" by Lynn Thorndike is a deep exploration of how beliefs in magic, like astrology and witchcraft, were common and considered real by many smart people in Europe's past. The book shows that it wasn't just regular folks who believed in magic; even well-known thinkers like Dante and Aquinas included magical ideas in their work. Thorndike looks at how these beliefs were tied to the science and philosophy of the time, painting a picture of a world where magic was a normal part of how people understood things.