Magical Consciousness in Childhood Experiences

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Questions and Answers

What did Descartes associate with individual human reasoning?

The body

Senses

Magical consciousness

The mind (correct)

What concept has largely impeded further examination of magical experiences according to Western cultural history?

Collective consciousness

Geometrical reasoning

Holistic engagement

Separation of spirit and matter (correct)

How does magical consciousness differ from general scientific terms regarding consciousness?

It sees consciousness as a brain product

It values senses over thoughts

It engages with material and non-material realities (correct)

It emphasizes individual reasoning

What did Descartes argue about the body in relation to consciousness?

It acts on emotions and stimuli Signup and view all the answers

What did the Cartesian legacy primarily contribute to in Western culture?

A heightened valuation of reason over experience Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the impact of Descartes' philosophy on science?

It established a mechanistic worldview Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between magic and Western thought as suggested in the content?

Magic is placed in opposition to scientific rationalism Signup and view all the answers

What aspect is valued in Western culture according to the content?

Thought and rationality Signup and view all the answers

What does the author mean by 'magical consciousness'?

An imaginal aspect of awareness experienced variably by individuals Signup and view all the answers

Which professionals are mentioned as practitioners of magic?

Witch doctors, medicine healers, spirit mediums, and shamans Signup and view all the answers

How does the author describe the nature of magical consciousness?

It varies in expression across cultures and contexts. Signup and view all the answers

What personal experience does the author relate to the concept of magical consciousness?

Fascination with rock pools and imagining being a sea dragon Signup and view all the answers

What methodological approach did the author adopt in their research on magic?

Inclusion of personal experiences as a form of data Signup and view all the answers

What realization did the author come to regarding their role as an anthropologist studying magic?

They should become part of the culture they studied. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the context where magical consciousness can be expressed?

Throughout various cultures and historical periods Signup and view all the answers

What does the author suggest about the experience of magic?

It can be experienced by all individuals to varying degrees. Signup and view all the answers

What is magical consciousness primarily characterized as?

A type of imaginative associative thinking Signup and view all the answers

Which social scientist's perspective sees magic as a cathartic release of emotional tension?

Malinowski Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of magic does the author focus on in their integrative conceptual model?

The imaginal experience of magic as a knowledge source Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a previous perspective on magic?

Magic as a natural phenomenon Signup and view all the answers

What period did the author's fieldwork on British practitioners of magic begin?

1990s Signup and view all the answers

How does the author describe the relationship between magical consciousness and modernity?

Magic contradicts modern rational progress Signup and view all the answers

Why is the concept of magic considered problematic in social sciences according to the author?

It has been oversimplified and misunderstood Signup and view all the answers

What does the author's prior work on magicians focus on regarding their attitudes?

The connection between magic and nature Signup and view all the answers

What did the segmented pattern around the dragon's head represent in the narrator's imagination?

Different hemispheres of the brain Signup and view all the answers

What does the narrator suggest about the nature of belief in spirits while engaging in magical consciousness?

The existence of spirits is irrelevant to communication with them. Signup and view all the answers

How does the narrator describe their experience with the 'dragon stone'?

As a gateway to other dimensions of experience. Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect of consciousness does the narrator associate with the dragon stone?

Magical consciousness Signup and view all the answers

What does the narrator conclude about the nature of their childhood relationship with the dragon?

It involved communication with an imaginal spirit entity. Signup and view all the answers

What was a primary aim of the author's fieldwork with British magicians?

To create a bridge between magical practice and academic discourse Signup and view all the answers

How did Edward Tylor describe magic in his work?

As the most pernicious delusion that ever vexed mankind Signup and view all the answers

What dilemma does the narrator identify concerning the belief in spirits?

Beliefs about spirits can limit alternative perceptions. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements best captures the author's approach to studying magic?

There is value in understanding magical practices from an anthropological perspective. Signup and view all the answers

What might hinder the acceptance of an alternative perception afforded by magical consciousness?

Rigid beliefs about the nature of reality. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of magical consciousness does the author aim to explore in their upcoming book?

The fundamental conceptual and experiential aspects of thinking magically Signup and view all the answers

What realization did the narrator have while examining the dragon stone?

The stone allows movement between different dimensions of awareness. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following scholars viewed magic as a negative and private activity opposed to public religion?

Émile Durkheim Signup and view all the answers

What does the author believe a bridge of communication can achieve regarding the study of magic?

It can deepen understanding of the complexities of magic. Signup and view all the answers

In what way did James Frazer regard magic, according to the content?

As a legitimate form of scientific inquiry that failed Signup and view all the answers

What did the author aim to achieve with the encyclopaedia on magic and witchcraft?

To make anthropological ideas on magic more accessible to a general audience Signup and view all the answers

What was the effect of the incorporation of magical ideas into reformed natural knowledge?

It resulted in denouncing magic as a source of false beliefs. Signup and view all the answers

What major shift did magical traditions contribute to during the Scientific Revolution?

From scholastic natural philosophy to empirical natural philosophy. Signup and view all the answers

What was the outcome of natural magic's absorption into natural philosophy?

Natural magic was largely forgotten and portrayed as superstition. Signup and view all the answers

During the Enlightenment, how were occult phenomena viewed?

As mere superstitions from a primitive past. Signup and view all the answers

What perspective did the Enlightenment seek to challenge?

The traditional attitudes of religion and politics. Signup and view all the answers

What is suggested about the experience of magic in contemporary views?

It continues to be viewed with general distrust. Signup and view all the answers

What does the author suggest is necessary for social scientists to address the question of 'what is magic'?

To reconcile with the historical split of magical traditions. Signup and view all the answers

How was God perceived during the Enlightenment in relation to the world?

As the creator of a perfect rational machine. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Magical Consciousness: A Legitimate Form of Knowledge

An old photograph depicts a seven-year-old child on a beach, excited by the rock pools.
Parts of the chapter draw upon the author's earlier work on the anthropology of magic.
The author's personal experience of arriving at the seaside as a child, and the image of a sea dragon, is central to the discussion of magical consciousness.

Contemporary Voices

A photograph of the author's childhood experience at the seaside is described recalling the thrill of arrival and fascination with rock pools containing anemones, crabs, and shrimps.
Entering these "pools of otherness" led the author to imagining herself as a sea dragon, showcasing an expanded awareness.
The child's imaginal engagement with the environment foreshadows the concept of magical consciousness.
The author argues that anthropologists must "turn native" to fully explore and understand this concept.

Magic and the Imagination

The author suggests that magical consciousness is a form of imaginative associative thinking distinct from analytical thought.
It's a specific type of thinking with historical and cross-cultural forms.
The author discusses the importance of including the self as an informant in research on magic.

A Bridge of Communication

The author aims to establish a "bridge of communication" between practitioners of magic and academics to better understand magical consciousness.
It's important to consider various forms of magic and academic discourse on magic.

The Split Between Spirit and Matter

Magical consciousness has a holistic view of material and non-material realities.
Historical separation of spirit and matter (e.g., Descartes) has hampered our understanding of magic.

Thinking That Is Not Contemporary

The author looks at the ways in which contemporary thinkers regard magic in contrast with previous views.
The study of magical consciousness draws on intellectual and cultural history.
This is important for establishing magical consciousness as a legitimate form of knowledge.

Conclusion

Magical consciousness is a human experience that is influenced by a variety of factors.
The concept of magic has a common, underling aspect to it, despite being manifested in varied and diverse ways.
The study of magic requires insights from various disciplines.

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Description

This quiz explores the concept of magical consciousness through the lens of childhood experiences at the seaside. It delves into personal anecdotes, imagery, and the intersection of anthropology and imagination. Discover how these reflections can enhance our understanding of knowledge and perception in a magical context.