Premium
Belief Systems and Evolution: A Distinction between Magic and Religion and its Implications for Socio‐Cultural Change *
Author(s) -
Bolt Joseph W. De
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
canadian review of sociology/revue canadienne de sociologie
Language(s) - French
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.414
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1755-618X
pISSN - 1755-6171
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-618x.1969.tb02297.x
Subject(s) - magic (telescope) , ideology , humanities , sociology , ethnology , belief system , epistemology , philosophy , political science , physics , quantum mechanics , politics , law
La controverse au sujet des definitions de la magie et de la religion est dtudiee. Afin de reduire I'ambiguite, on elabore une typologie des systemes de croyance qui differencie tout aussi bien magie et religion que science et ideologic Les consequences de ce schema, pour comprendre 1'evaluation socio‐culturelle, sont examinees. II y est suggere qu'au fur et a mesure que des systemesisociaux mieux adaptes se sont developpes, ils ont eu tendance a mettre l'accent sur la science et l'ideologie plutot que sur la magie et la religion. The controversy over the definitions of magic and religion is surveyed. As a solution, a typology of belief systems is constructed which not only differentiates magic and religion, but science and ideology as well. This scheme's implications for socio‐cultural evolution are explored. It is suggested that, as increasingly adaptive social systems have evolved, they have tended to emphasize science and ideology rather than magic and religion.