Class Notes for Feb. 3rd Magic Seminar
Seminar on Magic, Supersition, Religion, and Science
2nd Hour: by Sharon O'Regan
Questions for Discussion
- Problems of definition: magic, superstition, religion, science: similarities, differences, important distinctions, relationships
- Historical questions [Pinch and Luck]
- Methodological questions [Neusner and Lehmann]
- Questions concerning magic and the modern world
Problems of Definition
Magic -- ideas
- Rituals, actions to achieve something/goal
- Imposition of human control on nature/supernatural
- Practitioners take matters into their own hands
- The actions/rituals are most important element
- Frequently changing group of clients
Religion -- ideas
- Means to an end of its own, religion for its own sake
- Idea of "supplicating" elements of nature/god to receive needed goods
- Practitioners leave action up to god/fate
- Belief is the important element
- Regular group of congregants
Within realm of magic, make distinction between alchemy (leads to a rational goal, predecessor of chemistry) and rituals (just motions, perhaps lost their meanings).
The reading suggests that modern religion rejects magic as bad - disagree and agree (superstitions still exist but are sometimes looked down upon as silly/trivial).
Modern religions such as Christianity contain religious rituals similar to magic - some even with the intention to bring harm to others (ex: praying before battle, praying for the sick, and praying for safety - similar to praying to Ceres for a good harvest).
Taken out of context, even American daily life looks like magic/rituals (-- throws confusion on issues in question when seen from a point of view/context inside the culture ("The Body Ritual").
Anthropological differences: etic vs. emic - viewing a tradition from outside vs. inside the culture in question.
Definition of magic in reading presents magic as a bridge between religion (ritual) and science (cause and effect).
Magic is what a person who claims religion as his own perceives as the other. (e.g.: magic belongs in primitive society . . . but what is primitive society?). Magic is the category for things that people can't categorize any other way (relates to "Body Ritual")
Egyptian idea that anything exotic has power simply because it is exotic.
The four terms magic, superstition, religion, and science as viewed from a business standpoint (market and demand)
Magic as "unsanctioned religious activity"?
- magic does not recognize sin/immorality while religion is concentrated around avoiding/forgiving sins
- magic has ethics - the Wiccan concept of sin is harm none and do what you want to - however, isn't Wicca also considered a religion?
Religion is man's rituals as defined by man (position of prefix)
Magic is man's rituals as defined by nature - a repetition of motions that proved successful in the past (position of suffix) (-- this is the basis of prayer: Jesus and the apostles were miracle-makers who originally had a more magical aspect but ritual of prayer has evolved through the years and distanced itself from magic to develop into religion
Science, however, is similar to this definition of magic in its process of scientific method (-- science is a magic/religion you can count on.
More difficult to draw the line between science and religion/magic in ancient societies because their science was less developed and less separated.
Notion: Magic --- Religion --- Science (?)
- agree that science is most modern but still difficult to distinguish between religion and magic
- the evolution is not completely linear - rather a kaleidoscope categorization cycle of each new piece of knowledge contribution to all three areas
Magic and Religion as a continuum, with science running somewhere parallel to both
Question: what is the purpose of magic/religion and what do they search for that science cannot answer or does not attempt to answer?
HISTORICAL QUESTIONS
Pinch - impossible to separate magic and religion
- different gods for different purposes
- idea that "magic" was the same as their "religion" (etic vs. emic notion)
- a priest would use magic for private purposes that weren't part of the society's religion (issue of public vs. private to determine religion and magic)
- consciously incorporated magical rituals into their religion, therefore made some kind of distinction concerning differences in magic and religion
Historical distinctions (political/cultural changes) cause shifts in emic opinion of magic
-- also, switch to negative magic as result of changing social climate/political changes as means of covert expression of hostility (ex: disrespectful Persians)
-- also, different amounts of written information at different periods of history - argument of silence is dangerous
METHODOLOGY
How should we study magic? Is belief necessary or forbidden? Is it better to study magic using etic or emic techniques?
- People can actively believe or disbelieve and still be productive in their study as long as they maintain some level of objectivity
- Question literature on secret information
- Variety of insights is fine but a standardized methodology is ideal when studying in a formal educational setting
- Disagreements are good because they continue interest as long as objectivism is maintained
Anthropologist participates in magic - says he has to abandon objective status because otherwise he would not be accepted or allowed to participate - also, he would not understand what was happening during rituals - must cultivate role as participant-observer
Carl Sagan: "wonder of science" and "science is true" (which implies that religion/magic/etc. is all false)
MODERN MAGIC
Do modern people still believe in magic? Should belief in magic be discouraged? Does magic have some type of function? (such as providing a person with a feeling of control in an unstable position, which can be just as important psychologically if not necessarily objectively.)