The COVID-19 pandemic that is currently disrupting the lives of billions of people in all nations of Earth invites reflection on past epidemics and pandemics. The history of ideas was also born to respond to the challenges of the present and the future, to help us make use of the knowledge we have inherited - although too often forgotten - and that is preserved in paper and digital archives. There is a general consensus that the history of ideas was not born just to satisfy the idle curiosity of researchers regarding ways of thinking and communicating in the past. Far from representing irrational or superstitious systems of belief, key esoteric traditions have played a central role in the rise of the art in the Old Stone Age, and of philosophy and science in the ancient, and early modern periods. The magical traditions of Paleolithic hunters and contemporary indigenous peoples, and those found within classical Greece and Rome, medieval Judaism, and the European Renaissance, can be investigated as important and more or less disciplined attempts to understand the structure of the cosmos and the place of humankind there-in. Historical analyses may help to understand systems of magic as both natural and rational outgrowths of a particular perspective on reality. In this special issue, authors were invited to present Magic as a system of inquiry and explanation unto itself, connected to, but distinct from, both philosophy and religious studies. The concept of magic is most often considered a foil by scholars in the fields of philosophy and religious studies, or it is discussed as part of the investigation of “primitive” systems of belief and ritual. Given the high quality of the presentations, the idea was born to publish the Conference Proceedings in the form of a special issue of Orbis Idearum. The conference was attended by scholars from different universities, both Italian and foreign. On February 14 th, 2019, a conference on the theme “Magic in the History of Ideas” took place at the Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA) of the University of Padua. Editors and reviewers have agreed jointly to allow the broadening of the discourse outside the theoretical and methodological lines of the discipline, provided that it was grafted onto a robust historical reconstruction. Some authors have partially deviated from the typically interpretive descriptive approach of the history of ideas, sometimes venturing into axio-normative discussions – a "slip" perhaps unavoidable, if we consider the great social importance of the theme. The contributions deal with issues spread over a very broad time span, ranging from prehistory to the present day. The papers that have passed the selection, based as always on the double blind peer review, are now gathered in this large volume, which bears the same title as the conference. Given the quality of the presentations, the idea was born to publish the Conference Proceedings in the form of a special issue of Orbis Idearum. The conference was attended by scholars from four different universities, both Italian and foreign. On February 13 th, 2018 a conference on the theme "Transformations of the body" took place at the Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA) of the University of Padua. In our attempt to fulfill his wish, we present you, the reader, with a new issue of Orbis Idearum – an issue that we sincerely dedicate “to the memory of Michel Henri Kowalewicz”. There was unfortunately not enough time to settle all of the questions related to the Centre and Orbis Idearum, but Michel made clear his desire that both be continued by his close collaborators and friends. Whenever he had the strength to do so, not only did he continue his own work, but he also helped others with theirs. Despite the rapid progression of his illness, Michel remained strong to the very end. In the period between his diagnosis with cancer and his untimely death, we fortunately had many occasions to meet and talk with Michel. It seems to us that the moment calls for such a change of register. We ask the reader to please forgive the unusually colloquial tone in which we are writing this Preamble a style that is far from academic jargon and the cold precision which is typical of scientific publications. Michel Henri Kowalewicz passed away on October 8th, 2016. Nevertheless, we cannot hide our deep sadness at the untimely death of the founder of the Centre and its journal. Similarly, the History of Ideas Research Centre and Orbis Idearum must go on. “The show must go on.” That is what people say when an actor – however important he or she may be – leaves the stage.
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