ANTHROP 1AA3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Trobriand Islands, Wage Labour, Infection
19 Oct 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Lecture 7 - magic, witchcraft, and the undead. Magic: magic: a religious belief believed to produce a mechanical e ect by supernatural means. When magic is done correctly, believers think it must have the desired e ect: classic anthropological explanation of magic -bronislaw malinowski, tobriand. All living societies developed e ective knowledge and practical techniques for dealing with world. They also realize practical control over world limited. Where their techniques and knowledge su cient for accomplishing goals, magic not used. Where outcome uncertain, regardless of skill and insight they likely to resort to magical practices. Uses of magic reduces anxiety, allowing people to concentrate on what they are able to control. For example: trobriand islanders when they shed lagoons, which were safe and secure, they put canoes into the water and got straight to work. When they were going past the lagoons into open ocean, which was unpredictable and dangerous, they recited spells and used other techniques thorough voyage.
