Stern, Julio Michael (2020) Jacob’s Ladder: Logics of Magic, Metaphor and Metaphysics. Sophia, 59 (2). pp. 365-385. ISSN 0038-1527
|
Text
Ste20Sph.pdf - Published Version Download (3MB) | Preview |
Abstract
In this article, we discuss some issues concerning magical thinking -- forms of thought and association mechanisms characteristic of early stages of mental development. We also examine good reasons for having an ambivalent attitude concerning the later permanence in life of these archaic forms of association, and the coexistence of such intuitive but informal thinking with logical and rigorous reasoning. At the one hand, magical thinking seems to serve the creative mind, working as a natural vehicle for new ideas and innovative insights, and giving form to heuristic arguments. At the other hand, it is inherently difficult to control, lacking effective mechanisms needed for rigorous manipulation. Our discussion is illustrated with many examples from the Hebrew Bible, and some final examples from modern science.
| Export/Citation: | EndNote | BibTeX | Dublin Core | ASCII/Text Citation (Chicago) | HTML Citation | OpenURL |
| Social Networking: |
| Item Type: | Published Article or Volume | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creators: |
|
||||||
| Keywords: | Syllepsis, Paronomasia, Magical thinking, Heuristic arguments | ||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Laws of Nature General Issues > Science and Religion |
||||||
| Depositing User: | Prof. Julio Michael Stern | ||||||
| Date Deposited: | 26 Mar 2023 18:28 | ||||||
| Last Modified: | 26 Mar 2023 18:28 | ||||||
| Item ID: | 21920 | ||||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | Sophia | ||||||
| Official URL: | http://doi.org/10.1007/s11841-017-0592-y | ||||||
| DOI or Unique Handle: | 10.1007/s11841-017-0592-y | ||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Laws of Nature General Issues > Science and Religion |
||||||
| Date: | 2020 | ||||||
| Page Range: | pp. 365-385 | ||||||
| Volume: | 59 | ||||||
| Number: | 2 | ||||||
| ISSN: | 0038-1527 | ||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/21920 |
Monthly Views for the past 3 years
Monthly Downloads for the past 3 years
Plum Analytics
Altmetric.com
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
![[feed]](http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/style/images/feed-icon-32x32.png){kind=icon}