sceptic publications

Question 1

1. summarise Reginald Scot’s The Discoverie of Witchcraft, 1584.

Answer 1

This was an English rationalist criticism of witchcraft, that Questioned whether there was any biblical basis/ foundation for witch-hunting

Question 2

2. how radical was scots book? explain why

Answer 2

Scot’s book was radical because it went against the beliefs most people held at the time
- this heightens scots ability to change attitudes as it provided a radical new way of viewing the witch-craze.

Question 3

3. King James ordered all copies of the book to be burned, and denounced Scot in his book Daemonologie, what does this suggest about beliefs at the time?

Answer 3

suggests that people saw his argument as a genuine threat to their beliefs.

Question 4

4. explain the long term significance of Reginald scots book; why his impact was more long term rather than immediate

Answer 4

Scot was the first English author to show skepticism. He planted the seed.

Scot’s work inspired later sceptics, like Ady and Bekker, none of whom really went beyond his ideas; they were indebted to Scot’s arguments.

Question 5

5. Give two reasons that might explain why Scot was unable to really challenge the heart of the matter regarding witchcraft and sorcery.

Answer 5

although he criticised components of the witch-craze, he failed to penetrate the heart of the problem;

he was writing in the context of before the scientific revolution really got going.

Question 6

6. limitation of the immediate impact of scots publication

Answer 6

Scot’s work preceded the most ferocious period of witch-hunting in England: The 1604 act introduced harsher penalties for witches, and from 1644-1646, 300 women were sentenced to death under this act.

Although his arguments were powerful, they were not being heard.

Question 7

1. summarise Thomas Ady’s A Candle in the Dark, 1656.

Answer 7

Questioned the Catholic interpretation of the Bible

The Bible can’t be used as justification for witch hunting.

Question 8

2. Thomas Ady’s impact on attitudes towards witchcraft

Answer 8

Witchcraft trials did decrease from 1660 onwards and this could in part be attributed to Ady.

Question 9

3. How was there similarity between Ady and Scot’s Discoverie of Witchcraft?

Answer 9

1.The book did not put forward a particularly different or radical view from Scot’s and it failed to outright question the existence of witches.

Question 10

4. limitations of Ady’s impact on attitudes towards witchcraft

Answer 10

The book came after the most intense hunting had already happened; a decline in witchcraft trials was more due to people’s negative experiences of the witch-craze than the influence of sceptics

The book should be seen as part of a far wider intellectual change that was taking place by the 1650s/1660s.

Question 11

1. How did Bekker strike at the heart of witchcraft whereas previous publications had not?

Answer 11

The Bible says that the Devil is in Hell and can’t operate on Earth

therefore, Bekker struck at the heart of the witch-craze by destroying belief in the Devil.

his argument challenged the idea that the Devil can form pacts with people or give them supernatural power -questioning the existence of witches.

Question 12

2. what was the impact of Balthasar Bekker, The Enchanted World, 1691

Answer 12

Bekker’s ideas spread quickly; 4000 copies sold within the first two months of publishing -

seen as evidence that his work was well received and that he did have a great influence on attitudes.

Question 13

3. how did the reaction of the church reinforce the significance of Bekker

Answer 13

Bekker was put on trial for blasphemy and atheism, which implies that his beliefs were radical and challenged church doctrine regarding witchcraft. It was clear that the Church saw his work as influential enough to be a threat.

Question 14

4. regarding the context of the time, why could some say that bekkers impact was less significant

Answer 14

Bekker’s publication came when witchcraft trials were already on the decline

its argued that any rise in scepticism after Bekker was more due to advancements in science than to his work

Question 15

Which sceptical authors are believed to have influenced Holt’s sceptical thinking? *

Answer 15

Scot, Ady and Webster

Question 16

How was Thomas Ady’s Candle in the Dark similar to that of Reginald Scot’s Discoverie of Witchcraft? *

Answer 16

They both argued against the biblical justification of magic and sorcery

Question 17

What do Scot, Ady and Bekker argue about the Bible and its role in understanding witchcraft? *

Answer 17

The Bible doesn’t refer or mention witches at any point and therefore the hunters that use the Bible to justify their actions are wrong

Question 18

Who wrote ‘The Fraudulent Practices of John Darrel’ in 1599? *

Answer 18

Samuel Harsnett

Question 19

How did the changing religious climate affect beliefs in witchcraft and sceptical thinking? *

Answer 19

There became multiple ways to interpret the Bible, which led to multiple interpretations of witchcraft and its religious roots

Question 20

evaluation of the impact of sceptical publications on the witch craze between 1580-1750? *

Answer 20

The sceptic publications reflect a changing understanding amongst the educated and elite, rather than the ordinary person. Historians later argued that, Bekker specifically, struck at the heart of witch craze by destroying belief in the devil. Earlier publications had very little impact in this way, even accepting that witches did exist. It could also be argued that these publications were driven by the simultaneously changing intellectual context on science and understanding. It is possible therefore the impact of the publications would have been even more limited without these new ideas.

Question 21

year of the publication of Samuel Harsnett’s ‘Fraudulent Practices of John Darrel’

Answer 21

1599

Question 22

year of the publication of Balthasar Bekker’s ‘Enchanted World’

Answer 22

1691