ANTH 222 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Cooties, Deep Sea, Homeopathy
Document Summary
A set of principles for organizing the universe, in order to better understand and control it. Presupposes symbolic connections between and among phenomena. These systems of knowledge vary a great deal cross-culturally. Generally, magic imposes the human"s will on the manifest universe through symbolic means. Frazer: magic as an early form of science. Durkheim: magic as anti-social, individual activity (as opposed to religion) Malinowski: magic compensates for low technology and is used in high risk/uncertainty situations. Deep sea fishing more risky than lagoon fishing. Deep sea fishermen had more magic rituals than lagoon fishermen. Magic helps people feel a sense of control over uncertain outcomes. Ceremonial (high) vs. low magic vs. chaos magic. Intervention of spirits or gods, with their own intelligence. All phenomena are linked, directly or indirectly. The universe operates as an interconnected whole. Magic intended to enhance natural tendencies works better than magic which violates natural laws.
