From: Steve Peterson (peterson.steve@verizon.net)
Date: Wed Mar 12 2003 - 16:53:51 GMT
Dear Sam, all
The reason Cambpell came to mind is that if "ritual is the enactment of a
myth" as he says, then the relationship between myth and ritual could help
sort out the social/intellectual bridge associated with ritual.
Wim articulated two point I was thinking of in the Systematic thread.
Thinking mythically could be thought of as an intellectual pattern that
predates thinking logically. Also, myths told people why they were doing
things before other higher quality rationales became available.
A ritual such as the Eucharist is clearly an enactment of a myth. (In
modern terms, ritual is often defined as "lie," though Campbell suggests the
"metaphor" is a far better definition. Whether or not it is associated with
any historical event may be irrelevant.)
Every participant in the ritual knows why they are doing it. Such an
explanation is even part of the ritual: "On the night of his betrayal, he
took the bread and gave it to his disciples saying..."
So a myth can be a reason for doing something. It is not a logical reason,
but a reason nevertheless. Thus it fits Wim's description of the static
latch of the intellectual level as a copied rationale.
To the extent that carrying out a ritual is unconscious copying behavior, it
is social. But it may be a bridge to the intellectual when people begin to
think about the myth on which the ritual is based (i.e. why they are
performing the ritual).
Thanks,
Steve
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