Claire Lehmann

"The Constitution of Knowledge" by Jonathan Rauch is a timely and essential book that explores the multi-front challenge America is facing in distinguishing fact from fiction and elevating truth above falsehood. From disinformation and trolling to conspiracies and cancel culture, Rauch examines the epistemic crisis that is threatening society's grip on truth. Through a thought-provoking analysis of the Constitution of Knowledge, Rauch arms readers with a clearer understanding of how they can defend objective truth and free inquiry against threats, both foreign and domestic.

This book delves into the intriguing history of the witch hunts, a time when tens of thousands of people were persecuted and put to death as witches between 1400 and 1700. The author, Robert Thurston, explores the rise, flourishing, and decline of the witch hunts during this period, as well as the purpose they served and who was accused. This important reassessment challenges and enhances existing interpretations of the phenomenon, and locates its origins 400 years earlier in the growing perception of threats to Western Christendom. Discover the development of a 'persecuting society' and its campaigns against scapegoats, including witches. This revised edition is a must-read for anyone interested in history and the occult.