Mythical Thinking Research Articles

Criticism and Reception of Ancient Mythology in the “Bibliotheca” of Photios (New Materials for the “Analytic of Myth” Course)

For many years, undergraduate students at the National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” are offered the optional course “Analytic of Myth.” It involves a study of the philosophy of mythology (that is, a conceptual understanding of the specifics of mythical thinking) at various stages of its development. Currently, among the available sources, materials on the development of relevant reflections during the Middle Ages are generally lacking. In the limited information remaining from the Soviet and first post-Soviet years, there are significant inaccuracies. This applies to the specific attitude to myth, which can be found in the “Bibliotheca” of the famous Byzantine scholar, philosopher, theologian, statesman, and clergyman of the 9th century Photios I of Constantinople (Photios the Great). Not pretending to reproduce the views of this thinker in their entirety and with maximum historical and philological authenticity, this essay only intends to fill in the gaps and correct mistakes about Photios and his era precisely in philosophy of mythology context. In the past, there was a widespread rumour that medieval authors used to refer to ancient mythology solely for the purpose of discrediting it. This essay proves, supported by various examples, that Photios rather opted for a wider reading of ancient mythology. It involved not only harsh criticism, but also a certain acknowledgement of relevant literature by discovering there several artistical, aesthetical, linguistic, stylistic, historical, cultural, educational, and moral advantages. Even though Photios’ attitude to ancient mythology formed within the framework of Christian religious tradition, it is deeply consonant with both pre-Christian culture and progress of science. On the one hand, the understanding of ancient mythology in “Bibliotheca” can be considered as a manifestation of the renaissance of ancient culture typical for Byzantium during the times of Photios (he himself was one of the leading representatives of this renaissance). On the other hand, Photios’ criticism of ancient myths can be considered not only as an example of struggle between Christianity and pagan mythology, but also as a continuation of a special intellectual trend that originates in antiquity and can be described by the formula “from myth to logos.”

The Vampire, a Mythical Monster for Eternity

The purpose of this paper is a new approach from an interdisciplinary standpoint to the long lasting phenomena of the vampires. Consequently, I have drawn on from multiple sources in history, folklore, literary studies and anthropology. As monsters, they have been analysed in the light of their symbolic meaning. Previous studies place them in realms of mythical thinking and belonging to a liminal state of the nature-culture classification. As undead, their specificity is to trespass sides, a matter of fear for the living. Although we want to consider our civilization as rational and free from superstition, undead keep coming back through different narrative media. I will try to address that question by emphasising the liminality of death and the allure of immortality. The chosen case of research is Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897) and the film adaptation directed by Francis Ford Coppola (1992). By comparing the changes in the characters and the plot I have tried to frame them as different versions along the history of a myth. Any social order need to set boundaries but, being humans, we are tempted to trespass at least through fiction.

Conspiracy Narratives as a Type of Social Myth

It has long been recognized that conspiracy narratives may be seen as a special kind of myth. In most cases, however, this is taken as a sign of their irrational and unsubstantiated nature. I argue that mythical modes of reasoning are actually far more pervasive in modern political and cultural discourse than we commonly admit and that the difference between mainstream discourse and conspiracy narratives is not one between “rational” and “mythical” thought but rather one between different types of mythical thinking. The specific nature of conspiracy myths is best understood in relation to two other types of social myths: political myths and fictional myths. Conspiracy myths are a hybrid of these two genres: like fictional myths, they make use of imaginative elements, but like political myths, they are understood as having a relatively straightforward relation to reality and not just a metaphorical one. They are essentially anti-systemic, and their chief ethos is that of distrust. Nevertheless, the degree to which they reject the system varies, and it is thus useful to distinguish between weaker and stronger conspiracy myths. While the latter reject the system altogether and are incompatible with political myths, the former are capable of co-operating with them.

문화콘텐츠 스토리텔링을 적용한 디지털 고구려박물관 전시

Using virtual spaces for exhibitions can help a museum move beyond various restrictions of physical space. One of the biggest advantages is that it can use space more freely, However, whether in a digital or a physical space, one must always focus on telling the story underlying the exhibition. After all, the success of the exhibition relies on what story is chosen and how it is told. Most of the artifacts and sites related to Koguryo are located in North Korea and China, which means it is difficult to create an on-site physical exhibition like those for Silla, a millennial kingdom, Gaya, the maritime kingdom, or Baekje, the center of the East Asian trades. Thus, it would be beneficial to actively adopt digital exhibition methods and create virtual spaces to showcase the history and culture of Koguryo. The exhibition space of the Digital Koguryo Museum can be divided into early, medium and late stages according to the development of Koguryo history. It is a good idea to divide the exhibition rooms by time by two or three, allowing visitors to know history and culture at the same time. The two exhibition rooms of the early period are the day of Yuhwa room, the day above the ondol. Visitors can understand the mythical thinking, Koguryo residential culture, and food culture at the beginning of the establishment of Koguryo through the two exhibition rooms. The two exhibition rooms in the middle period are the hoof of the horse and color skirt. Each exhibition room will help to understand the development of Koguryo's history, which has expanded the influence of Koguryo culture through the expansion of the area and to meet the gorgeous culture of Koguryo with a costume culture.. The three exhibition rooms in the latter period are blue dragon & white tiger, Cheonlijangseong and sky. Visitors can see that the four Deities tomb murals are deeply related to the development of the late political society. As a result of the power struggle over the construction of the Cheonlijiangseong, the dictatorship by Yeongaesomun was established, which deepened the conflict between the Chinese Tang Dynasty and Koguryo. The notion of Koguryo's sky can provide an opportunity to meet Koguryo's astronomical knowledge and the world of civilization.

«Us and them» in mythopoetic world of Turks: otherness as a sign of belonging to the other world

In culture there is a universal phenomenon - the opposition "us - them", which has become one of the most important elements in the formation of ideas about the binary structure of the world. This opposition in the mythical thinking of Turkic peoples reflects the concept of "us" and "them", the interaction of man with nature, with the "wild" space. To the "wild" space belonged the underworld, where all evil lived. To avoid the harmful influence of underworld inhabitants, Turks have created all kinds of markings of "own" territory and visual code of "own" person. In this work, the author tries to understand the visual characteristics (symbols) of "us" human and "them" to clarify some traditional taboos on interaction with people with physical disabilities. Based on the oral tradition and prohibitions of Turkic peoples, the article describes visual images of "us" and "them" in Turk folklore. The application of structural-semiotic and comparative methods makes it possible to consider the visual image of a person as the main criterion of "normality" in the traditional culture of the Turks. The modern interpretation of some prohibitions does not find a logical explanation, which is due to the fact that cultural oblivion is a pressing problem in traditional etiquette at all times, as the original ideas lose their original meaning due to the influence of new times and are combined with a new interpretation, which leads to a distortion of the perception of culture. Therefore, the study of the cultural code of Turkic peoples is an important stage in rethinking the traditions and their iconic content.

“Tuesday” beliefs and omens of Novruz holiday in Turkish mythical thinking (on the basis of the folk life of South Azerbaijan)

“Tuesday” beliefs and omens of Novruz holiday in Turkish mythical thinking (on the basis of the folk life of South Azerbaijan)

Xenakis and Romanian Music: An Unspoken Relation

Xenakis’ music can be related to an ancient cultural background composed of Thracian, Byzantine and oriental elements, shared by Greece, Romania and other South-East European countries. A central element of this background is mythical thinking as defined by Mircea Eliade: a forma mentis involving a particular relation to the sacred, the coexistence of the archaic and the modern, and the attachment to archetypes. Mythical thinking accounts for the affinities existing between Xenakis and Romanian composers like Niculescu, Olahand Rădulescu, which concern specific aspects such as heterophony, modalism and spectralism. However, Xenakis’ Romanian roots are unassumed and unspoken as they belong to the unconscious and the repressed. They nevertheless occasionally emerge precisely as manifestations of a return of the repressed.

UPACARA TUMPEK WARIGA DI BALI DALAM PERSPEKTIF TEORI KEBUDAYAAN VAN PEURSEN

Bali cannot be separated from traditional and religious ceremonies, which causes Bali to have a charm that can make people interested and amazed. The island of Bali is known as a tourism area due to its customs and culture. Balinese people do not escape the Yadnya ceremony (sincere offerings). All of the yadnya ingredients used to come from agricultural products that were offered to God as a form of devotion, known as the Tumpek Wariga Ceremony. Van Peursen's mythical thinking can be correlated with local cultural thought in the Tumpek Wariga ceremony, Van Peursen's theory also includes ontological aspects in the concept of natural harmony (Tri Hita Karana) which explains the existence of Parhayangan which means maintaining a harmonious relationship with the creator or God Almighty. , then there is what is called Pawongan which means maintaining a harmonious relationship with all living things and the last one is Palemahan which means maintaining a harmonious relationship with the natural environment. Humans develop the essence of the celebration of Tumpek Wariga by building awareness of the vital role of plants which is summarized in the palemahan concept as a protection system for the natural environment. The scheme in Van Peursen's theory here is seen in the Tumpek Wariga ceremony process which in the end humans must always maintain and harmonize nature contextually.

Madness is other people: alterity/ipseity and the sibling archetype.

The issue of madness, always present in the hot-tempered gods - Ares, Aphrodite, and Dionysus - has to do with what the ancient Greeks referred to as alterity. It was the Greeks who 'invented' this notion. What is otherness? It is, simply said, the extensive category of the Other. Let us examine a few aspects of the way this category is presented in mythical thinking in order to understand its place in psychology and madness. Alterity has to do with the Other, who is outside or inside me; ipseity is the possibility of remaining the same. This recognition has political, historical, ethical and, of course, psychological implications. And yet, it is archetypal, because that is where, as we will see, the issues of the sibling archetype fall. The sibling, as a primordial image in the soul, is present in the psychological evolution of each individual and each culture, and its influence inevitably projects itself into the history and construction of our connections with friends, companions, partners, associates, and colleagues - i.e. with all others, before confirmation is established in the soul that madness is other people.

The Waste Land and the Release of Social Energy: An Eliotean Reading of Thomas Pynchon’s Fiction

"This essay discusses the striking influence of The Waste Land on Thomas Pynchon’s oeuvre and evaluates the stylistic and thematic links connecting them. More specifically, the article centers on twin aspects of Pynchon’s intertextual reframing of Eliot’s representation of the waste land. The first refers to the use of certain motifs and symbols of the poem, such as the narrator’s bouncy character, the living-dead condition of some personages, and the evocation of the violet hour. The second aspect concerns Pynchon’s versions of the figure of Belladonna as a “lady of situations” and her relationship with the notion of waste associated with mythic thinking, ethics, and the complexity of life. These themes are developed intensely in Pynchon’s oeuvre and are reflected in his complex experimental style."

Перформативная функция голоса в архаических речевых практиках

This study is aimed at the early practice of speech (or speech acts) as a functional tool in performative constructions, which can be considered as an integral part of the cultural heart and the reflection of an important semantic and pragmatic connection between the intentions and actions in mythical thinking. This way of thinking created images on the interpretation of the world as a system determined by supreme forces (gods). Communication of people with higher forces as an early speech practice of Indo-European cultures is traced in ancient prayers, rituals, incantations, spells, etc. They not only reflect the fixed language formulae which are a base of a cultural matrix but also offer a whole picture of the mythical thinking functioning. The following fundamental cultural phenomena are noted: the power of the word, as a primary vocal image; the act of assigning a name as giving birth to a creature (what is not named, does not exist), voice as a ritual constitutive force in prayers, and in the tabooing. The study of performative constructions in ancient Indo-European language data (Avesta, Upanishads, Edda, Old /New Testaments, Old Church Slavonic, and Anglo-Saxon spells) has revealed a strong relation of the functional power of voice to the ritual actions, which reflect in the traditional performative constructions - first person singular verbs: 1) prayers - I pray, I ask; 2) naming - I name, I give a name; 3) actions taken during incantation - I stretch out [my hands], I order; 4) and also the representation of voice as a divine being, which reflects in the concept of true godly knowledge and corresponds with the physical ability to attract attention and ask to follow with voice. In early performative practice, to legitimize the action it must be followed with words said out loud properly. And this interdependent phenomenon forms the heart of culture.

Pandemia rozbójników: Locus horridus na miarę antyzachowań gangu Olsena

The article endeavours to describe the COVID-19 reality through the lens of a topos of European culture, locus horridus. In analysing and interpreting online news about crimes with the coronavirus either in the foreground or the background, the author checks whether elements of the locus horridus topos have kept pace with the modern day and whether the pandemic has evoked mythical thinking. He presents a typology of pandemic banditry fit for the Olsen Gang, imbued with humour, comedy and cabaret.

MYTHICAL THINKING AND RATIONAL SPIRIT - AN INTERPRETATION OF LU XUN’S “OLD TALES RETOLD”

Introduction. The great creativity of the myth itself provides a specific way for literature to develop plots and express themes. As a special way of thinking, mythical thinking has become an important component of the writer's creative psychology, and the narrative language of myths is metaphorical and vivid. This article studies the mythical thinking and rational spirit reflected the works of the modern writers who use ancient myths in their writing. Special attention should be paid to Lu Xun's “Old Tales Retold”, a unique collection of novels. It helps to explore why Lu Xun has a special liking for ancient myths, and how he gave myths new content, form, meaning and function. Material and methods. Based on the existing research results, this article attempts to use comparative research, narratology, and diachronic research methods, combined with the relevant theories of well-known literary theorists, literary critics, and mythologists to explore the usage of ancient myths in the “Old Tales Retold”. The works undergo in-depth analysis and detailed description. Results and discussions

ИНСОНИЯТ МАЪНАВИЙ ТАКОМИЛИДА АМИР ХУСРАВ ДЕҲЛАВИЙ ВА АЛИШЕР НАВОИЙНИНГ ЎРНИ

The article deals with the issue of the spiritual development of mankind as an orientalist-literary critic, and the subject is covered on the basis of new approaches that have not been seen in the scientific literature to date. For example, the history of the ancient world was divided into 3 stages - 1) primitive society, 2) city-states, 3) great kingdoms (empires), coordinated by archaeologists as "Stone Age", "Bronze Age", "Iron Age". These new interpretations have been proven based on the views of oriental thinkers. It has been proved, based on the research of world scientists, that the spiritual development of this period developed on the basis of mythical thinking. The history of the Middle Ages is considered within the framework of the Muslim cultural region, and the spiritual development of the peoples of the region is considered as a development of monotheistic thinking and its 4 stages - 1) Sunnah, 2) Muslim enlightenment, 3) Sufi teachings and irfan, 4) “Majoz tariqi” - are briefly explained. In the works of the great poets of the East, Amir Khusrav Dehlavi and Alisher Navoi, the stage of the "Majoz tariqi", which is theoretically substantiated as an independent spiritual essence of fiction, is in fact has been proved in detail by the author that the development of monotheistic thinking is the highest stage in the spiritual development of not only the peoples of the region, but of all mankind. The theoretical considerations summarized in the article are the author's books: "Stages of perfection of our national spirituality", "Fundamentals of our national spirituality", "Introduction to Navoi studies" and a number of scientific articles which are published in different years. They are reflected in one form or another, and in this text they are enriched to some extent with new interpretations

Revealing the Rationality of Myth: Contribution of Bronislaw Malinowski

The article is focused on the intellectual significance of the theory of myth developed by prominent Polish anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski within his anthropological approach known as functionalism. The author argues that Malinowski already in the first half of the 20th century anticipated the main trend within the later studies on myth. Like many influential myth-theorists of the next generations, Malinowski recognized the elements of rationality within mythical thinking. Both his emphasis on the integrity of culture as well as his opposition to diffusionism and evolutionism resonate with the perspective of structuralists in the second half of the 20th century. According to Malinowski, myth and science as the parts of culture serve mainly for the basic biological needs of the human body. The more elaborated vision of the functionality of myth has been proposed later in the philosophy of mythology of German poststructuralist Hans Blumenberg. Despite that, Malinowski’s attention to the function of myth reflected and formed the general tendency of contemporary science of myth. This tendency presupposes the “de-archaization” of myth in contrast to the progressivist vision of myth as entirely “irrational” or “paralogical” thinking. The author also analyses how the intellectual heritage of Malinowski is used in the recent studies made by contemporary Polish and Ukrainian scholars.

A meditation on Covid-19 social trauma

ABSTRACT This article explores covid-19 as a social traumatic event that thoroughly disrupted our ordinary plane of existence. In doing so, it opened a window to an uncanny world, in which the virus, manifesting profuse agentic capacity, repurposes to its benefit, to travel and multiply, human bodies and various global assemblages. Covid-19 pandemic’s challenge to the social grounding structure in turn perturbs our sense of ontological security. Meditating on these aspects, the article identifies the pandemic as a liminal situation that confronts humanity with all four givens of existence: death, freedom, isolation, and meaningless. Written during these unique global circumstances, the article directs its attention towards covid-19 social trauma and to several societal responses. These take the form of conspiratorial mythical thinking, communities formed around a shared existential state of vulnerability, as well as emancipation and revolutionary political acts.

Rаtionality, conceptual imagination and myth

The article addresses the problem of how myth relates to rationality. In the classical formulation, this question appears in the following manner: are mythos and logos opposites? It can be stated that myth has become one of the key themes of philosophy in the 20th century. It has been studied in ethnography and anthropology, cultural studies, art theory, political science and even in the theory of knowledge. Myth is understood not only as a special artistic form, but also a special form of intuition, form of thinking, and form of life. Despite the sometimes cardinal difference in approaches to the analysis of myth, one common feature in its understanding can be identified. Mythical thinking is considered either as irrational or as protorational. For example, in Cassirer and Blumenberg, myth appears as an affective rationality, in Vico and Schelling — as a poetic rationality. The reason for this can be seen in the fact that myth is considered as a product of imagination. The latter is indisputable, but does this mean that myth and rationality are incompatible? In order to answer this question, the concept of imagination should be analyzed. Drawing on the theories of Hume, Aristotle, and Kant, the author contends that there is a special type of imagination referred to as “conceptual”, which is a human capacity of spontaneous production of concepts. The conceptual imagination seems to be a distinctive feature of human rationality. However, if this is so, then rationality is a condition of myth and not its counterpart. Myth and discursive thinking thus turn out to be merely different forms of realization of our human rationality, of which discursive imagination is the common basis.

Everything is True Here, Even if it Isn’t: the performance of belief online

The primary stage for contemporary horror storytelling online, the subreddit No Sleep, declares the most important rule for users: everything is true here, even if it isn’t. This rule dictates the way users typically interact both on the subreddit and elsewhere while writing and reading horror stories online. Users typically post ‘in character’, or write as if the narrative is a true story. This impacts not only the comments, but also the story itself. Users engage with a playful performance of belief, demonstrating that belief is not just an on/off switch – ludically immersing themselves in ontological realities beyond their own. Using fieldwork conducted at No Sleep, this paper seeks to demonstrate the playful performances of belief as something much greater than ‘simple play’, but a demonstration of the sliding scale possible in belief. The process is not necessarily about finding belief, or changing belief, but about the performance itself. The performance of belief creates a social reality for the community. It is a manipulation of belief, which creates a form of mythic thinking which can create a spiritual experience. Realistic supernatural stories bring the supernatural into the everyday, but also brings the everyday into the supernatural.

The Relationship of Mythical Thought in the Theoretical Context with Religion and Psychology

Bu çalışmada mitik düşüncenin din ve psikolojiyle olan ilişkisi tahlil edilmeye çalışıldı. İnsan, varoluşundan bu yana merak ve hayret duygusuyla evrene yönelerek evrende olup bitenler hakkında fikir sahibi olmaya çalışır. Bu gerek salt gözlemle gerekse deneyler aracığıyla gerçekleşir. Evren hakkında verilerin toplanılması ve yargılarda bulunulması belirsizliğin getirdiği korku ve gerginliği aşma çabasındandır. İnsan evren hakkında bilgilere sahip olarak evrene hakim olmayı amaçlar. Bu istek; insanı atılıma ve arayışa sürükler. Arayış süreci, insanın var olana ait anlamları gün yüzüne çıkarma çabasıdır. Arkaik insandan bu yana bitmeyen anlam arayışı, tarihsel süreç içerisinde farklı yönlere evrilerek insan yaşamına yeni anlamlar kazandırır. Anlam arayışı psikolojik minvalde merak ve hayret duygusuyla başlar ve din, kültürel değerler ve tarihsel deneyimlerle sentezlenerek anlamlara dönüşür. Arayış sürecinde insan, bir yandan hayret duygusunu gidermeye çalışırken bir yandan da varolma nedenini bulmaya çalışır. Bu süreç, insanı eyleme iten bir itki, bir güç olduğu gibi insanın bilişsel etkinliklerini aktifleştiren de bir nedendir. Bilişsel etkinliklerin kullanılmasıyla ilgi ve ihtiyaçlar davranışa dönüşerek kimlik kazanımı gerçekleşir. Bilişsel etkinliklerin ortak temada toplanmasıyla sosyal kimlik ortaya çıkar. Sosyal kimlik kazanımında, bugünün şartları ve tarihsel deneyimler önemli bir role sahiptir. Gerek bireysel kimlik gerekse sosyal kimliğinde mahiyetinde mitik düşünce kendine bir yer edinir. Masal dinlerken ya da bilim kurgu filmi izlerken bireyin rahatlaması, on üç sayısının uğursuz kabul edilip o sayının kullanılmaması, nazardan korunmak için nazar boncuğu takılması mitik düşüncenin en somut göstergelerindendir.

PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS OF A PERSON’S SELF-REFLECTION IN THE CONTEXT OF INTERNAL DIALOGUE (BASED ON "THE DISPUTE OF A MAN WITH HIS BA")

Purpose. The study is aimed at considering self-reflection through an analysis of the features of internal dialogue in ancient texts (XXII-XXI centuries BC) in order to identify signs of human’s mythological and philosophical thinking. Theoretical basis of the work is the contemplation of a person’s self-reflection in the context of his internal dialogue, through which his own human existence, his subjective and creative comprehension of the world manifest. New meanings are created and shared with others in this mental space, in particular, in crisis periods of personal and social life. Therefore, the ancient Egyptian vision of man’s nature, consciousnesses and dialogism of the Self is viewed through the prism of modern philosophical concepts and as the basis for the emergence of a philosophical worldview itself. Originality. The analysis from the viewpoint of the philosophical anthropology in the text "The Dispute of a Man with His Ba" showed the opportunity of considering it not only in the context of internal dialogue, but also as a confirmed internal dialogue, which expresses itself in external speech. Comparing the mythical thinking of a man in his cohesiveness with others and the philosophical thinking of a dialogical Self, the authors come to the conclusion that it is necessary to distinguish between internal dialogues with oneself and with the introjects of others, which can be either Double or Interlocutor. It has been revealed that internal dialogues in ancient times played an important role both in structuring social chaos and in overcoming personal crisis states (from existential to clinical states of altered consciousness). This is precisely from such self-reflection that philosophy emerges as a certain discourse and a new type of thinking. Conclusions. The analysis of the text "The Dispute of a Man with His Ba" speaks about the emergence of philosophical discourse in the XXII-XXI centuries BC, on the basis of which we can conclude concerning the earlier, in comparison with K. Jaspers’s definition, the transition of mankind from the cognitive revolution to a new phase of the development.