Magic, categorization and folk metaphysics. Towards cognitive theory of magic

• Authors: Kajfosz Jan
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

It is the aim of this work to interpret magical thinking as a strong tendency towards categorization, towards simplification of an infinitely diverse reality and of its modifications, and its reduction to a limited number of static prototypes. In magical thinking similitude and contact (adjacency) are not only crucial principles of the human cognition; moreover they have their ontological dimensions: they direct the course of the world. Numerous examples of human conduct that are motivated by the laws of magic can be found not only in systems and their elements mentioned in canonical studies of magic (Frazer, Mauss) or in Eliade's phenomenology of religion, but also in texts concerning European medieval and folk culture (Gurevich) or contemporary popular culture (astrology, prophecies etc.). Different phenomena of magical thinking like recurring time, imitations of extra-mundane models or of the past deeds can be described and explained by means of cognitivism. Various forms of popular metaphysics are also based on the tendency towards categorization. It is a tendency to eliminate everything particular and variable, and to inspell what is general and certain. Magical thinking does not acknowledge coincidence or probability, since everything is considered here necessary and can be instantly explained.

Keywords

EN

ANTHROPOLOGY OF RELIGION; COGNITION; COLLECTIVE MEMORY; MAGIC; POPULAR CULTURE

Discipline

• THEOLOGY: THEOLOGY
• ANTHROPOLOGY: ANTHROPOLOGY
• ETHNOLOGY: ETHNOLOGY

• Publisher: Institute of Ethnology, Czech Academy of Sciences
• Journal: Český lid: etnologický časopis (Český lid: Ethnological journal)
• Year: 2008
• Volume: 95
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 355-368
• Document type: ARTICLE

Contributors

author

Kajfosz Jan

• Jan Kajfosz, Instytut etnologii i antropologii kulturowej, Uniwersytet Slaski w Katowicach, ul. Bielska 62, 43-400, Cieszyn, Poland, http://dlib.lib.cas.cz/3492/

Identifiers

CEJSH db identifier

09CZAAAA055212