Benjamin's Concept of Magic

Benjamin's concept of magic is one of the most significant notions which is often misunderstood by many readers. There is no doubt that the concept is easily used to enhance the mysterious aura of Benjamin's philosophy.

However, Benjamin's concept of magic is nothing less than the way in which he articulates the theory of Darstellung, the embodiment of the real, against Hegelian formulation of Vorstellung; his concept is designed to work out the "reflection without mediation."

More significantly, Benjamin adapts the Romantic idea of reflection, and transforms it into the idea that reflection is equivalent to thinking, or, better still, the systemic effect of language. In this way Benjamin's concept of magic anticipates the linguistic turn whereby Western philosophy revolutionary changes its own fundamental framework.