About the book: 1987 / The book by A. Yu. Grigorenko, candidate of philosophical sciences, tells about the origin of one of the oldest forms of religion - magic, about its diverse types, about evolution magic for thousands of years, about the so-called occult sciences - spiritualism, astrology, palmistry, radioesthesia, etc. The reasons for the emergence of magical ideas, their preservation to this day, and their wide spread in capitalist countries are analyzed. Rich in factual and historical material, the book is of interest to a wide readership..