Notion Of Belief In Magic

Introduction

The belief that some individuals have supernatural powers allowing them to harm others is present in many societies around the world. Regardless of whether these individuals are said to use psychic power or magic to do their work, whether they do harm intentionally or not, or whether they are born with these powers or have to learn them, they are often feared or reviled by members of their societies-embodying traits that are defined as immoral or evil according to local cultural norms. Based on ethnographic fieldwork over the past century, social and cultural anthropologists have described witchcraft and sorcery beliefs, and the practices associated with them, in various societies around the world. With this, they have examined cross-cultural patterns in what are seen as the causes of witchcraft, the characteristics and actions of witches, actions that can be taken against witches, and patterns of accusation.

Anthropologists are interested in witchcraft and sorcery beliefs because they constitute an important part of the worldviews of many peoples. As such, these beliefs and practices are an essential component in understanding the total cultural contexts within which they are located, as well as in understanding the means by which humans create explanatory schemes for the world around them.

Similarities In Anthropological Theories

Religious and magical practices in primitive cultures were the focus of research among the first anthropologists in the 19th century. The attempt to distinguish religion from magic and define each sharply has continued to be a significant topic in anthropology. In more recent years, anthropologists have broadened their studies to include the practice of science along with the many other facets of human beliefs and endeavors. Cultural anthropology is one of the four fields of anthropological study, the others being archaeology, biological anthropology, and linguistic anthropology. All such research takes into consideration the context of the particular culture within which the study is focused, and accumulated records offer growing opportunities for the comparison and contrast of beliefs, rituals, and behaviors worldwide and across time. (Levi-Strauss, 2009)

Cultures are defined as human groups united by their social practices and beliefs, passed down in oral and ceremonial traditions. Cultural anthropologists consider every facet of cultures, both past and present. Art, industry, beliefs, rituals, kinship, and child rearing are among the topics studied. Methods of study involve fieldwork, direct observation, interviews conducted within the society, consideration of the manner in which various systems in the society relate to each other, and the comparison of observations recorded about other societies. This enables anthropologists to understand the culture's own value system and thought processes, and to discover the logic of its practices within the context of the culture.

Magic, science, and religion are related, each playing a part-to a greater or lesser degree-in societies across the world and throughout time. An ongoing area of anthropological study has been the attempt to define clearly the boundaries of each. Science is evident in the use of technology, agricultural techniques, materials and weapon production, and record keeping. Technology is the application ...