CA Final Cosmology

Cosmology

Broad ideas/explanation about the world and peoples place in that world

religion

belief in spiritual beings, powers superior to man believed to directly control human life

science

a body of knowledge with proper qualifications about observation, experiment, and induction

magic

assumes in nature, one event follows another, without interpretation of spiritual or personal agency (=science)

All societies have a sense of all 3

religion, science, and magic

people turn to the 3 when?

at times of uncertainty and risk

animism

attribution of a spiritual existence to natural objects

(Primitive religion = thoughts by early anthropologists)

totemism

religion where a clan worships a totem that represents the community and their ancestors (Emile Durkheim)

ex. is patriotism a form?

mythology

the body of stories held by people about themselves and their origin

• acts as ritual, rules, social ceremonies (Malinowski)

witchcraft

ideas about psychic powers (inherited and practied)

sorcery

ideas about evil powers (learned) (black magic)

wizardry

ideas about mystical capabilities and counter attacks

function:

• explain misfortune

• reveal/prevent social tension

shaman

person who communicates with the spiritual world

diviner

person with past and sees the future

spirit mediums

witch doctors who can call spirits to present

syncretism

coexistence of different cosmological systems

ex. our societies

ex. of syncresism?

ex. nuer is an example for econmic and environment