The Western Magical Tradition - Ronald Hutton

This lecture makes a survey of learned ceremonial magic in Europe throughout history and demonstrates that both of the customary claims made for it by practitioners since the Middle Ages are actually correct: that there is a continuous tradition of it and that it is ultimately derived from ancient Egypt.
In doing so, it also shows what is distinctive about Western magic.
This lecture was recorded by Ronald Hutton on 24th April 2024 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London
Ronald is Gresham Professor of Divinity.
He is also Professor of History at the University of Bristol.
The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website:
www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/w...
Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/support/
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[@thinkingenglish1175]

The movie going public lost a great opportunity to witness genius when this guy wasn't cast as an Hogwarts professor. Great talk, I learned a lot.

[@missbornlucky6676]

prof hutton is my favorite lecturer ever. i hope he lives for another 100 years

[@blogobre]

Our greatest Dungeon Master explains magic to us.

[@earlducaine1085]

This is really a talk in itself. D&D, from the beginning, amassed and systematized a huge quantity of medieval magical lore, some taken directly from writings about the occult, some taken from fantasy literature which had filtered that information. That systematization has then fed the popular imagination through video games, fantasy literature, TV and cinema.

[@authormichellefranklin]

Always a thrill to see Prof. Hutton's lectures. Please have him on again. Thank you!

[@TheDailyWitch]

Another great lecture by Dr. Hutton.

[@louisemay974]

Oh my goodness, thank you Gresham! Professor Hutton you are an absolute pleasure to listen to. 👏

[@molochi]

Wonderful lecture. I'm glad that he mentioned clerical Underground though I've heard it referred to as the secret necromantic underground. Haha.

[@jonweber.8.756]

Hooo boy a new Hutton lecture!

[@SkiiDreamr420]

Bravo! Bravo! 👏 Encore! Encore! This Lecture is as fine as the suit! Please, always, have more of our wonderful PROFESSOR of DIVINITY Ronald Hutton Lecture Us. Any lecture, any time, if it's him, I have time!

[@Lemma01]

Nothing changes: the YT adverts that book-end this talk offer to believers instant free heat, Jazz piano in two weeks, even the body of a thirty-year old. Fools with money can be persuaded to hand it over to to scammers. Arguably, a Magician is the second oldest professional. Nice work, Ron. 🎉

[@kontrarien5721]

No coincidence that both the first *and* second oldest professions involve trading valued goods/money for little to no work!

[@KernowekTim]

Thank you very much indeed Professor Hutton. 'Magic', as always!

[@gunkwretch3697]

Thank you Dr Hutton, and thank you Gresham, education should be free

[@frederickburke9944]

I agree. Nobody should get paid for this

[@StephanieSoressi]

Education IS free. Getting credit for it is what is costly.

[@frederickburke9944]

@@StephanieSoressi 😀

[@JCRezonna-dl5qz]

My Ronald Hutton clip watching procedure: 1. Click on clip. 2. Click on 'like'. 3. Watch and enjoy.

[@jenniferlevine5406]

Wonderful presentation. I love listening to the professor speak! This is such fascinating history. Thank you so much!

[@worthlessendeavors]

Thank you Dr. Hutton for your endless inspirations!!!!

[@charlottesimonin2551]

Outstanding presentation!

[@SophyaAgain]

Wow another Prof. Hutton lecture! Love his "stories".

[@anayrre2062]

I am so excited for this, thank you Dr. Hutton!

[@guillemclapes5587]

Brilliant lecture, thank you!

[@verhalenvrouwe]

Very interesting lecture. Thanks!

[@kellysouter4381]

Dr. Hutton actually has his own playlist I've saved him to

[@elizabethford7263]

I need to make one! I have playlists from the Rhind lectures from the Society of Scottish Antiquarians

[@yarrowwitch]

Splendid, Ronald. Thank you. 😊

[@evolassunglasses4673]

Wonderful!

[@user-qp4ft4tr1x]

I really wish I had the opportunity to sit in on some of your courses! Love the lecture series, just a great way to relax and learn a little as well... Look forward to the next!

[@ArteaLanora]

If anyone is curious, the QR code at 0:07 does work and you can see some of the questions.

[@aristotleinbottle8012]

beautiful

[@GlassEyedDetectives]

A thoroughly enjoyable presentation from Dr Hutton, thank you. Magic as been going strong throughout our supposedly more rational, sophisticated modern society to this present day and will carry on doing so unless people get a truer understanding of their own nature, and to recognize the modern manifestations such as; Advertising and Politics to give just a couple of examples of how individuals and groups can easily be moved as if by 'remote control', to make choices not necessarily in their own best interests, but rather serve the agency executing the magical incantations.

[@MrZauberelefant]

This of course attributes to techniques of mass manipulation much more power than they deserve. The sorcerers apprentice of our time, Putin, is now coming to realize that his spells all failed, that the curses of propaganda and corruption all fizzled out. What moves people is not magic, but faith, ideology, and self interest, not sorcery and illusion.

[@thishandleistacken]

It's fascinating seeing Gresham College take the history of magic and atheism just as seriously. Commendable! Makes sense too since the Rosicucian inspired Invisible College met there to organize the creation of The Royal Society (making it a focal point for the weaving of magic, politics and secular science)

[@BangThatGong]

I see hutton in the thumbnail I hit play

[@BardzoPowaznyUzytkownik]

There's quite a lot of Hoopoes now around in mainland England. There's more and more accounters of them in birdwatchers groups.

[@frank327]

Fascinating as always

[@paulmagus2133]

DR Hutton is one of my top rockstars. From Monad too creation, all filters forth to return

[@jape7588]

Professor Hutton is great

[@mistydawnoliver6717]

I love this man!

[@martinonroll]

Brilliant

[@fleachamberlain1905]

Surely the most famous witches now-a-days must be Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg from the Discworld, by Terry Pratchett.

[@garydavidson5524]

Thank you, well elucidated

[@julianhatton1109]

Great Show

[@TheManOnlyLegend]

So very interesting

[@geoffmelnick1472]

Absolutely fascinating lecture - one point though, I have always associated the magic circle with Honi HaMeagel חוני המעגל (c. 1st century ce) who makes a circle, sits in the center and commands the rain - See Mishna Taanit 3 8. True there are no compass points and no sign of a pentagram

[@jeanettewaverly2590]

“Police arrested Magic And Magic went with them.” -Leonard Cohen

[@danielgregg2530]

I always knew this guy was one of Harry Potter's instructors . . .

[@michellerenner6880]

Was just wishing there was something new from the great dr Hutton.

[@knowone3529]

Moment for Gary Gygax

[@aariley2]

How do other magic traditions like Native American and Asian come to be then?

[@mikesummers-smith4091]

Hoopoes are spectacular birds, but so are e.g. kingfishers, rollers and bee-eaters. The only thing which singles them out for me are their notoriously foul-smelling nests. The simplest way to make a pentagram is to tie a knot in a cloth or paper tape. Try it.

[@user-fm8zp9vp4q]

There are cases of witch trials in ancient Greece too. Theoris of Lemnos was executed for witchkraft along with her children -or her hole family or all of her kind (according to varius translations of the word "γένος") (Demosthenes "Against Aristogeiton") Socrates in his trial claims the power to curse everyone to their doom as a man who is about to die. Pythagoras, Empedocles and other philosophers seem to follow some kind of magical practice before the Egyptian influence.

[@livrowland171]

I'm interested to know if any research has been done on whether any magical acts seem to have an effect on the world beyond changes in the mental state of the practitioner 🤔 Edit: I see how he partly answered this towards the end

[@Mai-Gninwod]

Magic does not have an effect on the material world, no. If it did, it would be classified as science in the modern day. Perhaps in the past there was overlap. Something that was thought to be magical may also have had real world effects. But not because of magic.

[@michaelmurdock4607]

Arthur C Clark famously noted that science, sufficiently advanced (relative to the viewer, it must be understood), is indistinguishable from magic. If you don't believe the truth of this, think about some of the unique interactions you've had with aging or intermittently buggy equipment. You're not sure why tapping the old computer's side just right 3 times and threatening to drop it in a shredder gets it to boot, but it does. Congratulations, you've unconsciously performed a "magical ritual."

[@anibrown5374]

Frances Barrett and Paracelsus could have used a mention.

[@BrentJJ]

Fantastic...thank you...💚

[@godoforder1828]

Does dr Hutton has any parentage or association with renowned Dr Edward Hutton?

[@yensid4294]

❤

[@fayeworman9552]

Mr Norrell would approve.

[@lacrimassenzio]

Where there is a law, to condemn some specific act, be sure people are doing that act, a lot!

[@AnnaSibirskaja]

♉

[@thegroove2000]

Parliament is a magic trick. The illusion of power.

[@rosemaryjane7110]

Just thought something funny. The code of Hammurabi was written during the time of the invasion by the Elohim. Could it have been that the invading gods were jealous of our human talent? Maybe these psychic and magical humans were a threat? They certainly DID wipe out our non material traditions.

[@TwisterTornado]

Which conspiracy cult are you following? Normal, educated people do not think the "Elohim invaded", nor any other deities. Sorry, but this is a non-standard understanding, so you should be more self-aware and explain your position, before assuming that everyone agrees with you.

[@muster_mark]

Ronnie the Hutt!

[@randomxaos]

Is he AI? That is the most proper cool outfit ever

[@GG-ux8ii]

This lecture assumes that the divination and ritual magic that Romani people brought into all of these areas had no effect on the magic practiced. It still has effect on modern magic practice, including superstitions, tarot/cartomancy in general, and some ritual sacrifices as well

[@GG-ux8ii]

Oh ! And how could I forget palmistry as well

[@TwisterTornado]

​@@GG-ux8ii Sorry, but Romani people did pick up a lot of those things from other cultures. They were rarely the inventors of any of it. If they were, we should see more traces of Hinduism, aside from "The Black Madonna" = Kali.

[@TwisterTornado]

There are also examples, like the classical Zodiac, that started in Babylon, but were known in India, as well as Greece. So, some of this was already shared culture, before the Romani arrived in Europe.

[@TwisterTornado]

​@@GG-ux8ii Also, to update your cultural chauvinism, ALL cultures engaged in sacrifices and even cannibalism. No one is above it; all existing humans have DNA traces which prove that we have all descended from people who engaged in cannibalism, at some point. And human/animal sacrifice seems to be a shared tradition, in all of pre-history.

[@GG-ux8ii]

@@TwisterTornado we invented tarot and palmistry and some sacrifices go back into our days as adivasi in India you don’t know what you’re talking about, gorger

[@FrankMonday]

Magick works most of the time, even for the inept. Medicine is an established set of beliefs based on empirical studies (science) that most educated people believe in, thus the effects brought about by these techniques work most of the time. Much like Magick.

[@FrankMonday]

Seems the placebo effect is in play more than you would imagine. Case study: there’s an invisible enemy, terror, virus, communism, etc. an incantation if you will, masses of people believe and start finding said enemy everywhere. Even where none exists. This scenario played out to such an extreme that society has been forever altered.

[@FrankMonday]

Are these not Magickal effects?

[@FrankMonday]

Are these not Magickal effects?

[@justin12537]

What if the Romans changed the official view of magic from the Greeks because the Romans wanted to control the world and everyone running around using magic would have been a problem. Ammon said it

[@SkiiDreamr420]

Oh! That's interesting 🤔 and very likely true! Even the bible says be wise as serpents, harmless as doves. So, even the knowledge was likely a threat to them. Knowing a power other than that of the Faces&Ax... Oh my. There's so much to think of, research on. My goodness, what a fire 🔥 you started here! Thank you❤

[@justin12537]

@@SkiiDreamr420 I just found this channel of a Greek classisist. He breaks it all down. Fascinating. The Catholic Church official charged him with opening portals. lol. Shout out Dr Ammon Hillman. Lady Babylon is his channel

[@acatssoftnose3940]

0:23 cute pic >_

[@realherbalism1017]

Techniques of Graeco-Egyptian Magic & Techniques of Solomonic Magic by Stephen Skinner has already covered much of this & it's been written several years before this video. EDIT: Some of the material in this lecture is suspect. I recommend your own research.

[@frstnmlstnm8484]

Hipster arm chair magician detected!

[@realherbalism1017]

@@frstnmlstnm8484 nope, practicing magician

[@peterliebe829]

Ze Hutton takes out ze magick of anything 😢

[@abbasalchemist]

In many cases there isn't a clear distinction between religion and magic. Any delineations we make are strongly influenced by a traditionally Abrahamic view of religiosity.

[@DonBailey-od1de]

Think , your quite mad ,

[@DJK-cq2uy]

Looks very disturbed

[@user-ug2yz6vb7p]

Divination for intrigue? Okay, well we will see how that works for you disobedient "teachers". Teaching anyone anything for fun and amusement. It is time you see what you play around with says Me.

[@TwisterTornado]

I changed my mind. This one does.

[@LeeGee]

The Ancient Hebrews did not live in 'Palestine' at the time discussed, as any historian ought to know if they aren't bought and paid for. Poor show, Hutton. Disappointed.

[@hannahbrown2728]

Sorry for him using a colloquialism, not everyone is familiar with the word, Levant

[@iainbaines4337]

Southern Levant referred to as Palestine from at least 5th century BCE which included Canaanite states, as well as kingdoms of Israel and Judaea…region of Palestine is not necessarily same as Islamic Palestinian states for the 13 centuries up to 1947

[@livrowland171]

The geographic area has often been referred to that way since Roman times

[@kg8489]

Triggered lol

[@kskssxoxskskss2189]

Oh, please.

[@Paxanglorum]

Get your dress back on….

[@Sociology_Tube]

vedic culture is way okder than egypts ccontinuing till today

[@kontrarien5721]

Yet not a basis for the western tradition.

[@geroldbendix1651]

Yeah, because the west just begins at the Iranian border 😅 Certainly there were no interactions with India whatsoever 🤪

[@sonnylambert4893]

​@kontrarien5721 lots of influence that you apparently are not enlightened enough to be aware of.

[@judithparker4608]

""METRIC DISCOUNT CURRENCY BUY WIN SWITCH MARITIME""

[@judithparker4608]

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