Magic and Divination
Believe it or not, by definition, magic is prevalent throughout the world, including the major world religions and “Westernized” culture. When defined as the communicated acceptance of the supernatural claim that certain techniques have supernatural effects, effects that cannot be demonstrated (Steadman and Palmer 2007), magic takes the form of crystals of protection, prayers to God, and baptisms, to name a few examples. Protective crystals often need to be charged a specific way before they produce their protective effects. While many prayers to God are done with heads bowed and hands clasped with some having specific words that must be uttered; all to achieve the unverifiable effect of establishing a connection to God. For baptisms, the soul-saving effect from the technique of dipping someone in water after uttering a prayer also cannot be demonstrated.
Though not as common as magic in the larger world religions, divination is still widespread in Western culture. Tarot card readings, palm readings, and interpreting Punxsutawney Phil’s message on Groundhog’s Day are all examples of the communicated acceptance of the claim that certain techniques have the ability to supernaturally reveal the future (Steadman and Palmer 2007). The technique of shuffling a deck of tarot cards and laying three of them out to gain insight into one’s future would be considered divination. As would the interpretation of one’s future based on the lines of their hand. Lastly, Punxsutawney Phil’s handler must go through very specific motions in order for Punxsutawney Phil to communicate his prediction for the rest of Winter to his handler.
The difference between magic and divination is that the techniques used in magic are meant to alter the future whereas the end goal of divination is to guide one’s behavior after learning from a future that is already set-in-stone. Both magic and divination though, like all of the behaviors discussed before, function as an elaborate form of communication that, when practiced effectively, enhances the descendant-leaving success of those so involved, past and present.
Learning Objectives
Identify the distinguishing elements for two subcategories of religious behavior: Magic and Divination.
Describe previous explanations for understanding Magic and Divination.
Discuss assumptions and problems with previous explanations of Magic and Divination.
Compare and contrast previous explanations with Steadman and Palmer’s (2007) contemporary anthropological approach that views these subcategories as ancestral descendant-leaving strategies; in other words, using Steadman and Palmer’s definitions, functions, hypotheses, and other concepts concerning Magic and Divination.
Assess how Magic and Divination vary according to cross-cultural ethnographic cases found in the readings, multimedia, and your own experience.
Apply relevant anthropological concepts and definitions—Magic and Divination—to ethnographic cases in the readings and multimedia.