Dr Leo Ruickbie wrote:
Take your point, may be something to salvage from the ruins but
would also say just because Harvard psychologists still quoting him is
not always a good thing -
the example I posted (on sacred prostitution) or indeed margaret
murrey's ideas -
shows that it can take years to undo the harm done by bad theory /
research -
the tenacity of the magick / religion division being a case in point - imo.
its not really based on research of actual (ancient) magical activity -
But agree the mechanics of some magical activity connected with
correspondences is
important and is there in the ancient practice,
especially if extended to word play, puns etc
Mogg Morgan
Dr Leo Ruickbie wrote:
> Thanks for all your replies so far. While Frazer certainly got a few
> things wrong, that's not to say he got everything wrong. His analysis
> of magic as based upon sympathy according to two principles, one of
> similarity and one of contact, was rather efficient. The recent work
> of Pronin, Wegner, etc., hasn't really gone beyond that except to
> couch the whole thing in more psychological and sophisticated language
> - and even such esteemed Princeton and Harvard psychologists are still
> citing Frazer. While we may want to leave well alone, it's not
> possible if we are to engage with all aspects of current theorising
> about magic. Susan's work certainly provides an insight into current
> anthroplogical directions, but does it explain magic better than
> Frazer? Does anyone? Don't take this as some sort of championing of
> Frazer, it's not, I'm just interested in your thoughts on the debate.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Leo
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Dr Leo Ruickbie, PhD, MA, BA (Hons), AKC
> Author of /Witchcraft Out of the Shadows/ (Robert Hale, 2004)
>
> "/Witchcraft Out of the Shadows/ is an engaging book which
> deserves to be the benchmark for all future analyses of the
> Craft." - Alan Richardson
>
> And /Faustus: The Life and Times of a Renaissance Magician/ (The
> History Press, 2009)
>
> "Dr Ruickbie has re-evaluated and contextualised the sources of
> the Faust tradition from a position of authority. The result is a
> work of meticulous scholarship that can be read as a gripping
> page-turner." - Professor Osman Durrani
>
> For more information visit www.witchology.com <http://www.witchology.com>
>
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