Rethinking the Anthropology of Magic and Witchcraft PDF Download
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Author: Phillips Stevens, Jr.
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1000998762
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 194
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Book Description
This book introduces students to the anthropology of magic and witchcraft, terms widely used but without widely accepted definitions. It takes a new approach to this area within the anthropology of religion, demonstrating that the bases for these beliefs and alleged practices are inherent in human cognition and psychology, even instinctual, and likely rooted in our evolutionary biology. It shows how magic and magical thinking are regular elements in people’s daily lives, and that understanding the components of the witchcraft complex offers surprisingly important insights into patterns of thinking and social behavior. The book reviews the many meanings of “magic” and “witchcraft,” and introduces the best anthropological meanings of the terms. The components of these beliefs are timeless and universal; this fact, and recent advances in the brain sciences, suggest that the principles of magic are derived from basic processes of human thinking, and the attributes of the witch derive from neurobiologically based fears and fantasies. The propensity for such beliefs probably had adaptive significance in the evolutionary development of the human species; they are inherently human. This book is intended to focus anew on the core concepts of magic, witchcraft, and the supernatural, while also serving as an introduction to the anthropology of religion for undergraduate and graduate-level courses.
Author: Phillips Stevens, Jr.
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1000998762
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 194
Get Book Here
Book Description
This book introduces students to the anthropology of magic and witchcraft, terms widely used but without widely accepted definitions. It takes a new approach to this area within the anthropology of religion, demonstrating that the bases for these beliefs and alleged practices are inherent in human cognition and psychology, even instinctual, and likely rooted in our evolutionary biology. It shows how magic and magical thinking are regular elements in people’s daily lives, and that understanding the components of the witchcraft complex offers surprisingly important insights into patterns of thinking and social behavior. The book reviews the many meanings of “magic” and “witchcraft,” and introduces the best anthropological meanings of the terms. The components of these beliefs are timeless and universal; this fact, and recent advances in the brain sciences, suggest that the principles of magic are derived from basic processes of human thinking, and the attributes of the witch derive from neurobiologically based fears and fantasies. The propensity for such beliefs probably had adaptive significance in the evolutionary development of the human species; they are inherently human. This book is intended to focus anew on the core concepts of magic, witchcraft, and the supernatural, while also serving as an introduction to the anthropology of religion for undergraduate and graduate-level courses.
Author: Phillips Stevens, Jr.
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 9781032414263
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
This book introduces readers to the anthropology of magic, witchcraft, and supernatural belief. It takes a new approach to this area, demonstrating that the bases for these beliefs and alleged practices are instinctual, inherent in human cognition and psychology, and are likely rooted in our evolutionary biology.
Author: Susan Greenwood
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000184404
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 247
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Book Description
Anthropology's long and complex relationship to magic has been strongly influenced by western science and notions of rationality. This book takes a refreshing new look at modern magic as practised by contemporary Pagans in Britain. It focuses on what Pagans see as the essence of magic - a communication with an otherworldly reality. Examining issues of identity, gender and morality, the author argues that the otherworld forms a central defining characteristic of magical practice. Integrating an experiential ethnographic approach with an analysis of magic, this book asks penetrating questions about the nature of otherworldly knowledge and argues that our scientific frameworks need re-envisioning. It is unique in providing an insider's view of how magic is practised in contemporary western culture.
Author: George Moir
Publisher: DigiCat
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 80
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Book Description
DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "Magic and Witchcraft" by George Moir. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.
Author:
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities, Social Sciences & World Languages
ISBN: 9780073405216
Category : Occultism
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
This comparative reader takes an anthropological approach to the study of religious beliefs, both strange and familiar. The engaging articles on all key issues related to the anthropology of religion grab the attention of students, while giving them an excellent foundation in contemporary ideas and approaches in the field. The multiple authors included in each chapter represent a range of interests, geographic foci, and ways of looking at each subject. Divided into ten chapters, this book begins with a broad view of anthropological ways of looking at religion, and moves on to some of the core topics within the subject, such as myth, ritual, and the various types of religious specialists.
Author: Arthur C. Lehmann
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 508
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Book Description
A comparative reader that takes an anthropological approach to the study of religious beliefs, both strange and familiar.
Author: DK
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 074403342X
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 898
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Book Description
Discover the beguiling history of witchcraft, magic, and superstition through the centuries in this stunningly illustrated title. A History of Magic, Witchcraft and the Occult charts the extraordinary narrative of one of the most interesting and often controversial subjects in the world, covering everything from ancient animal worship and shamanism, through alchemy and divination to modern Wicca and the resurgence of the occult in 21st-century literature, cinema, and television. Providing readers with a comprehensive account of everything from Japanese folklore and Indian witchcraft to the differences between black and white magic, and dispelling myths such as those surrounding the voodoo doll and Ouija, the book explores the common human fascination with spells, superstition, and the supernatural. This riveting read on witchcraft further includes: - Engaging text and lavish illustrations with over 500 full-color images that bring the subject to life. - Special features on aspects of magic, such as oracle bones of ancient China, the Knights Templar, and magic at the movies, and “plants and potions”, such as mandrake and belladonna examine topics in great detail. - Quick-fact panels explore magic origins, key figures, key deities, uses in spells, structures of religions, and more. The perfect introduction to magic and the occult, it explores forms of divination from astrology and palmistry to the Tarot and runestones and offers key insights into the ways in which magic has interacted with religion. The most comprehensive illustrated history of witchcraft available, A History of Magic, Witchcraft and the Occult will enthral and fascinate anyone interested in spiritualism and the occult.
Author: American Museum of Natural History
Publisher: Garden City, N.Y. : Published for the American Museum of Natural History [New York, by] the Natural History Press
ISBN:
Category : Magic
Languages : en
Pages : 370
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Book Description
Author: Pamela Moro
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
ISBN: 9780078140013
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
This comparative reader takes an anthropological approach to the study of religious beliefs and practices, both strange and familiar. The engaging articles on all key issues related to the anthropology of religion grab the attention of students, while giving them an excellent foundation in contemporary ideas and approaches in the field. The multiple authors included in each chapter represent a range of interests, geographic foci, and ways of looking at each subject. Divided into 10 chapters, this book begins with a broad view of anthropological ways of looking at religion and moves on to some of the core topics within the subject, such as myth, ritual, and the various types of religious specialties.
Author: Liam D. Murphy
Publisher: Cognella Academic Publishing
ISBN: 9781621313106
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 164
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Book Description
Western popular culture is saturated with ideas drawn from religious institutions and a variety of other forms of awareness. In an age that many view as secular, news accounts are replete with sensationalist stories about inexplicable supernatural events. The Occult, mythology, vampires, zombies, ghosts and apparitions, and paranormal activity are but a few of the supernatural or cosmological themes and images that make themselves felt in everyday life. "Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion in the Media" represents a unique effort to capture a cross-section of these events in media reportage and analyze them through the lens of anthropology. The essays selected for this text, which are drawn from a variety of news media and online sources, are clustered around important themes and discussed in terms of their impact on society. They illustrate how classic observations and theory made by social and cultural anthropologists have real world application in the here-and-now of everyday American life. This is an ideal supplemental text for introductory and general education courses on the anthropology of religion, yet it is accessible to an educated public. Liam D. Murphy is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at California State University, Sacramento. He is the author of many articles and research papers on religion, politics, and identity, published in such peer-reviewed journals as the "Journal of Ritual Studies," the "Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Europe, Anthropology in Action," and the "Anthropological Journal of European Cultures." He is also co-author (with Paul A. Erickson) of "A History of Anthropological Theory" (UTP Higher Education, 1998; 2003; 2008) and co-editor (with Paul A. Erickson) of "Readings for a History of Anthropological Theory" (UTP Higher Education, 2001; 2006; 2010). A specialist on religion in Northern Ireland, Murphy is also the author of "Believing in Belfast: Charismatic Christianity After the Troubles" (Carolina Academic Press, 2010).
