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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 3 page paper which summarizes and discusses the article The Meaning of Magic by Michael D. Bailey. No additional sources cited.
Page Count:
3 pages (~225 words per page)
File: JR7_RAmmag.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
still rely heavily on a belief in magic, although most Western civilizations deny any such existence. The following paper summarizes and analyzes the article The Meaning of Magic By Michael
D. Bailey. The Meaning of Magic The author begins by illustrating how "magic is a profoundly unstable category. In most circumstances it
has typically been defined by authorities of various sorts (religious, legal, intellectual) who are either opposed to or at least condescending toward the practices and beliefs they see it entailing"
(Bailey, 2006; 1). While most people may not think about this, about how and why magic is studied, what Bailey is noting is incredibly valid for most people who study
magic clearly do not believe it but rather seem to study it from a perspective of disbelief, conveying a sense of superiority towards those who believe. For example, anyone who
studies the issue of AIDS in Africa will know that many studies involve attempting to get past their beleif in magic in order to help them, thus conveying a clear
disregard for the truth that may exist in magic. The author continues and illustrates how many definitions, scholarly, historical or other, have
never "proven entirely sufficient for all circumstances and contexts" (Bailey, 2006; 1). In addition, the author illustrates that although the issues or elements of conceptualization and terminology seem to support
a disbelief in light of the foundation of seeking definitions, each culture believes in some way, or believes particulars about the notion of magic. They "have drawn and continue to
draw certain basic distinctions separating manipulations of spiritual or occult natural powers that are deemed appropriate and approved from those considered sinister and illicit" (Bailey, 2006; 1).
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