The occult is a theme that is deeply ingrained in the history of Western
civilization.  From antiquity to the present, segments of our society have
laid claim to an esoteric wisdom that could only be revealed to those who
are worthy of its exercise.  Such "occult" pursuits as alchemy, astrology,
and magic played an important role in the formation of modern science during
the scientific revolution of seventeenth century, and subsequently had a
major impact on poetry, music, and the pictorial arts.  And yet, if we
consider the pursuits that are usually deemed to make up "the occult," it is
remarkable how little these fields have to do with one another.  What does
alchemy, an artisanal pursuit related to metallurgy, have in common with
divinatory practices such as astrology, oneiromancy, or crystal-gazing?
What does witchcraft have to do with extraterrestrial life? The Occult in
Western Civilization will answer these questions and others.  It will also
argue that the occult sciences - especially alchemy, astrology, and natural
magic-were originally predicated on quite reasonable bases consistent with
the best science and philosophy of their time, however they may have been
altered in late twentieth-century culture.  By thinking carefully about the
relationships among science, philosophy, and those disciplines traditionally
classified as "occult" students will learn about the nature of scientific
knowledge more generally.

The basic goals of the course, then, will be to instill a historical
understanding of the occult while at the same time stimulating philosophical
reflection on the nature of scientific knowledge in general. The student
assignments will be based on material used for the class, such as
demonstrations, experiments, and discussions.  In the weekly discussion
sessions, the students will be responsible for answering a set number of
questions handed out in advance and based closely on the readings and
lectures.  Three major exams will be given during the course relating to the
questions discussed during the sessions.  In addition, a set number of other
assignments will be handed out, such as the interpretation of astrological
horoscopes.