A Cognitive Theory of Magic (Cognitive Science of Religion Series)

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 232 pages
• Published by: AltaMira Press December 28, 2006
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0759110409
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0759110403
• Book Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Weighs: 13.4 ounces

Product Description
The author presents a new theory of magical actions based on a wide array of recent findings in the cognitive sciences. Analysing classical ethnographic cases, he argues that paying close attention to the underlying cognitive processes will not only explain why magical rituals look the way they do, it will also supply new insights into the role of magic in the formation of institutionalised religion.

Reader Reviews
Sorensen artfully blends numerous theories about cognition to arrive at his notion of magic. Anyone interested in schema theory, cultural models, or conceptual blending will find much insight in these pages. Sorensen's pithy review of these ideas and his subsequent synthesis lead to a sophisticated theory of the cognitive underpinnings of magic. A Cognitive Theory of Magic provides a whole new perspective on this universally human proclivity. This state-of-the-art book is a must read for cognitive anthropologists.