Magic, science, religion, and the scope of rationality
Book Description
In this thought-provoking exploration, renowned anthropologist Stanley Jeyaraja Tambiah invites readers to reconsider fundamental questions about how we understand reality and knowledge. Drawing from his distinguished scholarship in Buddhist studies, Tambiah examines the age-old tensions between magical thinking, scientific inquiry, and religious belief.
The book traces pivotal moments in human intellectual history, from ancient Greek scientific thought and classical Judaism through the transformative periods of the Renaissance, Protestant Reformation, and scientific revolution. Rather than dismissing magic as primitive superstition, Tambiah carefully analyzes how different cultures and eras have approached the boundaries between rational and mystical ways of knowing.
Through accessible prose, he revisits influential anthropological theories that have shaped our understanding of human cognition and belief systems. The work examines how scholars like Tylor, Frazer, Malinowski, and Lévy-Bruhl have interpreted the relationship between logical and mystical thinking across cultures.
Tambiah's analysis extends beyond historical survey to engage contemporary debates about rationality and cultural relativism. He draws insights from modern philosophy and history of science to offer fresh perspectives on these enduring questions. For readers seeking to understand how different societies make sense of the world around them, this scholarly yet approachable work provides valuable insights into the diverse ways humans have sought truth and meaning throughout history.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Short (< 200 pages) (~5 hours)
📄 Length: 187 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Godsdienst
- ✓ Explore Geschichte
- ✓ Explore timeless philosophical wisdom
- ✓ Explore History
- ✓ Explore Ethnology
- ✓ Explore Rationalism
- ✓ Explore 306.8/001
- ✓ Explore Religiao e ciencia
