A Cognitive Theory of Magic 0759110379, 9780759110373

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A Cognitive Theory of Magic

COGNlTIVE SCIENCE OF REUGION SERIES Series Editors: HARVEY WHITEHOUSE and LUTHER H. MARTIN

The Cognitive Science of Religion Series publishes research into the cognitive foundations of religious thinking and behavior and their consequences for social morphology. The emphasis of the series is on scientific approaches to the study of religion within the framework of the cognitive sciences, including experimental, clinical, or laboratory studies, but works drawing upon ethnographic, linguistic, archaeological, or historical research are welcome. as are critical appraisals of research in these areas. In addition to providing a forum for presenting new empirical evidence and major theoretical innovations, the series publishes concise overviews of issues in the field suitable for students and general readers. This series is published in cooperation with the Institute for Cognition and Culture at Queen's University Belfast. IDLES IN THE SERIES Modes of Religiosity: A Cognitive Theory oj Religious Transmission By Harvey Whitehouse

How the Bible Works : An Anthropological Study of Evangelical BibIicisl1l By Brian E. Malley

Magic, Miracles, and Religion: A Sciemist's Perspective By t1kka Pyysiainen

Mind alld Religion: Psychological and Cognitive FO lilldations ofReligion Edited by Harvey Whitehouse and. Robert N. McCauley

Why Would Anyone Believe i1l God? By Justin L. Barrett Ritual alld Memory: Toward a Co mparative Anthropology oj Religion Edited by Harvey Whitehouse and James Laidlaw Theorizing Religions Pa~· t: Archaeology. Histol)'. and Cognitioll Edited by Harvey Whitehouse and Luther H. Martin

GOli from (he Machil/ e By William Sims Bainbridge

FORTHCOMING IDLES The Evolutioll of Religioll By Harvey Whitehouse

A Cognitive Theory of Magic

Jesper S0renSen

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A division of ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD PUBLISHERS, INC. Lanham· New York· Toronto· Plymouth, UK

ALTAMlRA PRESS A division of Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. A wholly owned subsidiary of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc. 4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706 www.altamirapress.com Estover Road, Plymouth PL6 7PY, United Kingdom Copyright © 2007 by AltaMira Press All rights reserved. No part ofthis publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any fonn or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior pennission of the publisher. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Infonnation Available Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data S0rensen, Jesper, 1968A cognitive theory of magic / Jesper Sorensen. p. cm. - (Cognitive science of religion series) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-7591-1037-3 (cloth: alk. paper) ISBN-1O: 0-7591-1037-9 (cloth: alk. paper) ISBN-13: 978-0-7591-1040-3 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN-IO: 0-7591-1040-9 (pbk. : alk. paper) I. Magic. 2. Magic--Religious aspects. 3. Cognition and culture. 4. Psychology, Religious. I. Title.

BF162l.S6732006 I 33.4'301-dc22 2006028454

Printed in the United States of America

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