Robert Boyle’s Natural Philosophy and the Concept of Western Esotericism by Antoine Faivre
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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/RF.2024.029Keywords
philosophy of nature, esotericism, Robert Boyle, Antoine FaivreAbstract
Robert Boyle's philosophy of nature critiques beliefs derived from alchemy, astrology, and magic. Boyle was one of the founders of the Enlightenment scientific view of the natural world. Modern research into Boyle's intellectual output shows that the esoteric tradition played a significant positive and negative role in shaping his views. This article analyzes which components of the esotericism accepted view of the natural world were taken up, developed, or negated in Boyle's view.
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