The prime focus of this dissertation is the relationship between natural philosophy, magic and religion. This is studied through an emphasis on ritual and ritualising practices centred on predicting and causing effect through ritual action. A focus therefore follows on astrological, healing and Christian practices, studied through almanacks and healing texts. The analysis is limited geographically to Denmark, and more specifically to Copenhagen and Scania. Conclusions drawn include the need to emphasise a continuity in ideas throughout the early modern period. This is demonstrated by showing a gradual shift in ritualised practices from the catholic era to and throughout the protestant era during the 1500s. Furthermore, astrologyis seen as an important ritualised practice that spans the spheres of both natural philosophy, magic and religion. Astrology as a ritualised practice is also shown to have been used foracademic, theological and agricultural purposes. The ritualised astrological practices within these spheres are confirmed to vary in execution but also show many similarities in regards to underlying ideas. Such ideas include sympathetic links between nature and the body and between the celestial spheres and earth. Christian ideas are also demonstrated to permeate ritual practices in the astrological, magical and medicinal fields. Re-ritualisation of healing and astrological practices are also concluded to have been used as a tool for implementing reformation ideals

This essay provides a thorough reading of Gilles Deleuze’s (1925–95) philosophy of nature and the way music relates to this philosophy. It does so with regards to changes in the view of nature in 20th century science, especially in the theories of self-organisation as developed by, among others, Ilya Prigogine. Deleuze’s metaphysics is viewed in relation to these theories, and is also compared to the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, which is related to classical science. The essay then investigates certain key issues in Deleuze’s philosophy concerning difference and univocity (or immanence), developed in his doctoral thesis Différence et répétition (1968). Also, certain aspects of the further evolution of this philosophy of immanence in Mille plateaux (1980), co-written with Félix Guattari, are examined. The essay then studies the role of aesthetics in Deleuze’s philosophy, and the way he transforms the aesthetics of Kant. The following chapter deals with Deleuze & Guattari’s primary text concerning music, ”De la ritournelle” in Mille plateaux. In this text, they develop a highly abstract concept of music, which, in their philosophy, is: 1) granted a cosmological reach regarding rhythms and motives; 2) made an essential aspect of the emergence of art, which they find in animals creating a territory (especially in the songbird); 3) used to discuss Baroque/Classicist, Romantic and 20th century musical styles. Apart from analysing these aspects, this chapter focuses on 20th century music, with a thorough examination of Gustav Mahler and of spectral music, demonstrating that Deleuze’s philosophy can deepen the understanding of this music. The chapter also discusses problematic tendencies in Deleuzian research on contemporary music, which does not take the entirety of Deleuze’s philosophy of nature into account. This essay argues that such knowledge is necessary to correctly examine the implications of Deleuze & Guattari’s philosophy of music. The lack of awareness of Deleuze’s philosophy of nature is also significant in the critique that Deleuze’s aesthetics has received by Jacques Rancière, which is analysed in the final chapter. This chapter also discusses Michael Gallope’s reading of Deleuze & Guattari, in which he makes a distinction between a metaphysical and an ethical-aesthetic philosophy of music. Although the relation between metaphysics, ethics, and aesthetics, is key to understanding their philosophy of music, this essay argues that Gallope’s idea of what sort of music they advocate is incorrect.

In 13th century Europe, the German bishop and scholastic philosopher Albertus Magnus was one of the most influential writers on the natural world and theology. This thesis investigates the relationship between humans and animals in his Quaestiones super de animalibus and De animalibus. In writings on medieval history the theologically enforced boundary between humans and animals is both emphasized and treated as a given. This study nuances the picture presented by previous scholars by highlighting an alternative natural philosophical discourse on humans and animals. Using discourse analysis, I argue that the differences that Albertus used to differentiate humans from animals were based on an understanding of similarities rather than opposites. To Albertus, the human was one species in the animal kingdom, thus sharing many basic functions with other animals. His understandings entailed a theory of essential differences between species but also allowed for divisions based on gradation and relativity. This study sheds new light on the complex relationship between humans and animals in medieval Europe.