This paper explores different ways of using occult teachings and, first of all, magical tradition in the process of development of modern European science. The author argues against a widespread opinion that modern science appeared as a clear antithesis to pre-scientific forms of research and knowledge; using concrete examples, he claims that certain elements of occult traditions (first of all, natural magic) were included into a new natural philosophy which substituted the old Aristotelian one, while other elements (f. e. demonology) were discarded; the later notion that magic could be reduced to only these discarded elements has proven to be wrong.