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The Last of the Magicians? Children, Scientists, and the Invocation of Hidden Causal Powers
Author(s) -
Harris Paul L.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8624.1997.tb01978.x
Subject(s) - invocation , psychology , developmental psychology , epistemology , cognitive psychology , social psychology , cognitive science , sociology , philosophy , anthropology
It is often assumed that scientific thinking displaces magical thinking, both historically and ontogenetically, but the tendency to invoke hidden causal powers straddles both modes of thought. The strength of this disposition among children and adults alike stands in need of explanation.