Magic, Categorization and Folk Metaphysics: Towards Cognitive Theory of Magic

Jun 23, 2026

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Magic as a cognitive mode is interpreted as a strong tendency to categorize and simplify an infinitely diverse reality. The approach reduces shifting phenomena to limited, static prototypes, treating similarity and contact (adjacency) as both epistemological and ontological principles. Examples from classic and contemporary studies show how recurring time, imitation of extra-mundane models, and past deeds can be explained through cognitivist mechanisms of categorization, popular metaphysics, and non-probabilistic necessity.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

Abstract and Aim

Key Concepts: Categorization, Similitude, and Contact

Semiotics and Sign Types (Peirce)

Metaphor and Metonymy as Categorization Mechanisms

Anthropological Laws of Similarity and Contact

Implications for Popular Metaphysics

FAQs

How are similarity and contact related to metaphor and metonymy?

The article argues that the law of similitude aligns with a metaphorical relationship, while the law of contact aligns with a metonymic relationship, though they operate at the level of the world rather than only changing sign meanings.

Jun 23, 2026

Upload by Noah