Anth 206: Anthropology of the Supernatural - Divination and Astrology Notes
Anthropology of the Supernatural
- Course focused on magical and supernatural beliefs including witches, zombies, and vampires.
- Explore the principles of divination and astrology in depth.
Assessment Options for Final Essay
Option 1: Supernatural Belief or Practice
- Research a specific story, belief, or practice in a cultural context.
- Compare with folklore traditions and incorporate anthropological or folkloristic theories.
- Sources: auto-ethnography (personal experiences) or digital ethnography (online sources).
Option 2: Literary Interpretation of the Supernatural
- Choose a literary work depicting supernatural themes (film, novel, etc.).
- Analyze how folklore influences the representation and the impact of transformation into popular culture.
Option 3: Object-Based Analysis
- Visit UBC’s Museum of Anthropology to select a related object.
- Contextualize the object and its significance within its original culture and its presentation in a museum setting.
Option 4: Systems of Magic
- Focus on a studied system of magic (Kabbalah, Tarot, etc.).
- Discuss historical roots, relation to Western Magic, and its operational principles.
Researching Your Topic
- Requirement: 3-4 peer-reviewed academic sources, excluding course texts.
- Proposal submission window: March 20 - March 28.
- Final essay due: April 14, after exams.
- Importance of time management emphasized.
Anthropological Philosophies
- Phenomenology: Experience-focused understanding of human life.
- Hermeneutics: Interpretation theories, culture as text.
- Semiotics: The study of signs and symbols as communication.
Historical Semiotics
- Saussurean Semiotics: Focus on signifier and signified; influential in structuralism.
- Piercean Semiotics: Three-part sign model (object, sign, interpretant); important for semiotic anthropology.
Symbolization and Types of Signs
- Types of Relationships:
- Index: Direct physical relation.
- Icon: Resembles or relates in quality.
- Symbol: Cultural convention-based relation.
- Combination of sign types is possible.
Divination Principles
- Principles governing divination:
- Interconnected universe; symbols representing forces.
- Diviner interprets rather than causes the future.
Components of Divination Systems
- 4 Components:
- Symbol system, structure, randomization system, intent.
Types of Divination
- By Sorts or Lots:
- Natural Phenomena Interpretation:
- Mathematics-Based:
Spiritual Divination
- Internal feelings and insights: Oracles and clairvoyance techniques.
Intersubjective Nature of Divination
- Exchange between diviner and querent; narrative construction based on symbols.
Risks of Divination
- Manipulation by dishonest diviners.
- Signs to watch for: Charging for divination and creating dependency.
Effective Questioning in Divination
- Advise on question types: focusing on feelings and personal exploration rather than exact outcomes.
Questions to Avoid in Divination
- Avoid complex political, relationship, and death-related inquiries.
Astronomy vs. Astrology
- Astronomy: Hard science observing celestial mechanics.
- Astrology: Symbolic interpretations of celestial influences on human affairs; historically intertwined until the 17th century.
Origins of Western Astrology
- Originates from Mesopotamian systems, influenced by Hellenistic and Egyptian astrology, significantly shaped by historical conquests.
Impactful Components of Astrology
Planetary Symbolism in Astrology
- Astrology’s cultural hypotheses:
- Explore how planets impact life and personal experiences in relation to astrology.
Divine Causality in Divination
- Four types of causality discussed:
- Efficient, material, formal, and final causes.
Conclusion
- The complexity of the interrelationship between cultural beliefs and practices surrounding the supernatural, particularly through the lenses of divination and astrology, provides profound insights into human understanding of the universe.