Magic, Science and Religion are Undefined - Free Essay Example

Thesis Magic, science, and religion are not rigid concepts. Their definitions are fluid and flexible in order to bend to encompass each and every worldview that exists. These definitions also change depending on who is defining them, in what context they are defining them in, and what their agenda is. In this paper, we will explore instances of magic, frameworks of science, and the interconnectedness of all things that make religion. Through these examples, we will better see how fluid and flexible these terms are in reality. Introduction The dictionary definitions of the terms â€Å"magic†, â€Å"science†, and â€Å"religion† are often oversimplified and boxed-in to follow the rules and constructs of a single and perhaps dominant worldview. However, our world contains many worldviews that do not conform to the rules and constructs of this proposed single dominant worldview. If we stick too strongly to these rigid definitions, we lose a deeper understanding of these other worldviews and thus lose crucial anthropological knowledge. Additionally, by adhering to these inflexible definitions, we unfairly force this one dominant worldview onto others. The definitions of â€Å"magic†, â€Å"science†, and â€Å"religion† must be flexible to allow each worldview to be expressed in its complex, interconnected entirety. Magic In her article, â€Å"Magic†, Tanya Luhrmann provides an explanation of what the belief in magic does to people who practice it. Having practiced certain magic rituals herself in an effort to better study it, Luhrmann observed that, It shifts attention from the external to the internal, and blurs the line we draw between the mind and the world. And, as I have argued in my scholarship and teaching, this shift alters the lines we draw. The mind bleeds into the world. Not predictably, and not on demand, and for some more than others, but when it happens, the senses experience what is not materially present. (Luhrmann, 2011) She goes on to define magic as something originating in the imagination, but whose effects can be realized in reality. Her account helps to explain what is real to the individual or group depends on their experiences, beliefs, and worldview. These beliefs should be taken seriously and with respect in an anthropological understanding of a religion, ethnic group , or culture, and as such, the definition of magic no longer has rigid boundaries, but rather each individual has their own definition of magic completely dependent on their interpretations of their life experiences. In Hallowell’s Ojibwa Ontology, Behavior, and World View, he delves into the topic of magic, more specifically the â€Å"realness† of dreams in Ojibwa beliefs and tradition. According to Hallowell, the Ojibwa recount their life events as consisting of both events that occur when awake, as well as those that occur in dreams. Moreover, they often give life events that transpired in their dreams more importance than those that occurred to them when awake: When we think autobiographically we only include events that happened to us when awake; the Ojibwa include remembered events that have occurred in dreams. And, far from being of subordinate importance, such experiences are for them often of more vital importance than the events of daily waking life. (Hallowell, 1960, p.15) This is an excellent demonstration of how the Ojibwa people experience and view dreams differently from people of popular Western culture who place dream visions in the category of magic or imagination. What is categorized as â€Å"magic† in Western culture is simply a part of reality for the Ojibwe, which blurs the boundaries of what â€Å"magic† is and isn’t, ultimately calling for a broader, flexible definition of magic altogether. For the Ojibwe, there is no separation between the spiritual and non-spiritual. This identifies the significance of these beliefs to the Native American peoples and how this is not a literal translation, but a spiritual understanding which alters the definition of magic to be broader. In essence, this demonstrates how one must make the strange familiar and the familiar strange in order to truly grasp that the definition of â€Å"magic† is not definite or universally applicable. Another issue with a clearly outlined definition of magic is that it is often assumed to belong solely to â€Å"primitive† or â€Å"superstitious† peoples -terms which should not be used to describe any group of people- unwittingly linking these concepts to indigenous or tribal people across the globe according to the popular Western culture mindset. This is an incorrect assumption because magic exists and is rather widely practiced in todays Western culture. The concept of magic and superstition are not reserved for people of older eras or of unindustrialized areas but are practiced in new ways every day in our highly educated and highly advanced Western societies. In his book â€Å"Baseball Magic†, Gmelch brings attention to American baseball players and the rituals they perform for each game for luck. Now, baseball, like many sports, requires extreme skill but the outcome of the game is a product of not just skill alone, but of chance. This takes a sense of co ntrol and predictability out of the players’ hands often leading to anxiety over the uncertainty of the game. As a result, it has become common for baseball players establish their own complex rituals to reduce that anxiety, claiming that these rituals give them luck and improve their skill or concentration (Gmelch, 2000) These rituals and practices of baseball players demonstrate how the concept of magic is often born and the significance it has for the people who practice it. Most importantly, the practice of magic is not reserved for the â€Å"primitive† or â€Å"superstitious†. Therefore, language such as â€Å"primitive†, â€Å"superstitious† and â€Å"tribal† do not serve to define who practices magic, and the definition of magic blurs more. Science It is important to clarify that science is the process of proving facts about the world by backing them with empirical data and repeatable experiments. However, it is also important not to ignore the idea that science intersects with religion and magic more than we acknowledge. The National Academy of Sciences and Institute of Medicine has an online booklet of articles, one of which is â€Å"Compatibility of Science and Religion† (National Academy of Sciences and Institute of Medicine, 2018) In this insightful article, they state that â€Å"Acceptance of the evidence for evolution can be compatible with religious faithScientists and theologians have written eloquently about their awe and wonder at the history of the universe and of life on this planet, explaining that they see no conflict between their faith in God and the evidence for evolution.† (National Academy of Sciences and Institute of Medicine, 2018) This intersection of science and religion can be compatible a s well as incompatible, but regardless of the nature of the relationship, they are two spheres that interact with one another and do not stand alone, which feeds into why the definition of science must be fluid. To add to the needed fluidity and flexibility in the definition of science, scientific paradigms shift and change over time. If what science consists of can alter, then the definition must be able to follow suit. Thomas Nickle in his introduction to Kuhn’s ideas stated that â€Å"Kuhn gave us a very different picture of science. Kuhn contended that there are two types of mature physical science, normal science and extraordinary or revolutionary science. In a given scientific field, long periods of conservative, tradition-bound normal science are punctuated by an occasional crisis and, still less frequently, by a revolution.† (Nickels, p.1) According to Nickle, Kuhn understood that paradigms are impermanent and that adjustments and alterations are made over time to better fit new knowledge. Furthermore, paradigm shifts influence people’s beliefs, and people’s beliefs influence paradigms. This is proof that there exists an overlap between science and religio n that an inflexible definition of science does not account for. Religion In a TED talk, Wade Davis elaborates upon the interconnectedness of religions and human constructs across the globe (Davis, 2008) Davis states that there is no linear progression of these ideas coming into existence, but rather a web of things that morph and change along with paradigm shifts, belief shifts, culture shifts, etc. Demonstrating the fluidity and flexibility of the definition of religion, Davis says, â€Å"†¦unraveling the complex threads of memory inherent in a myth, is simply a matter of choice and cultural orientation. There is no progression of affairs in human experience. There is no trajectory of progress. Theres no pyramid that conveniently places Victorian England at the apex and descends down the flanks to the so-called primitives of the world. All peoples are simply cultural options, different visions of life itself.† (Davis, 2008) There is not linear progression or straight, traceable chronology to how worldviews and beliefs shift. Rather, it is a c onstantly changing web of interconnectedness. The definition of religion must be broad enough to allow for the constant alteration. In the same line of thought, Anne Fadiman, author of â€Å"The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down†, eloquently stated after a realization during her study of a Hmong family caught in the crosshairs of Western medicine culture that â€Å"Medicine was religion. Religion was society. Society was medicine.† (Fadiman, 1997) This story of a medical journey paints a vivid picture of the Hmong vs. Western Medicine dynamic that shows how flexible the definition of religion must be for people to better understand other worldviews outside of their own, or outside of a dominant worldview. The idea that medicine is religion, religion is society and society is medicine shows just how connected these different spheres are and the definition of religion should be able to encompass that. A PEW study that surveyed over 4,700 adults in the US found that about 90% of Americans believe in a higher power, but only a small number believe in God as defined in the Bible, as some supreme being, or as a spiritual force. The research also found that beliefs change from one generation to the next, in the younger peoples, and as people get more educated (Pew Research Centers Religion Public Life Project, 2018) This research empirically demonstrates that religion, beliefs, and worldviews are subject to shifts in paradigms and that we live in an ever-changing religious landscape. These varied and changing beliefs of the people contribute to a need for a flexible definition of religion. Conclusion The definitions of â€Å"magic†, â€Å"science†, and â€Å"religion† must be flexible to allow each worldview to be expressed in its complex, interconnected entirety. The true definitions of these concepts overlap and bleed into one another to a point where, like good infrastructure, they must be plastic and accommodate any shifts, changes or interconnection that occur.

Hult Prize Semi-Finalists Hult Blog

LONDON, March 6, 2013 –  After evaluating over 250 social start-up pitches from more than 1,000 students, the Hult Prize today announced the regional winners of its 2013 challenge.  The Asian Institute of Management (AIM), ESADE Business School, McGill University, Hult International Business School (San Francisco),  and  University of Cape Town  will now advance to a 2 months accelerator boot camp in Boston where they will be mentored by world leaders such as  President Clinton  and  Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus. The Hult Prize is an annual social start-up competition, which awards  $1m in funding  to the winning team to launch a social venture. President Clinton, who has supported the competition since 2009, has described it as  one of the top 5 ideas that are changing the world for the better: â€Å"The Hult Prize is a wonderful example of the creative cooperation needed to build a world with shared opportunity, shared responsibility, and shared prosperity, and each year I look forward to seeing the many outstanding ideas the competition produces.† The regional competitions were hosted by Hult’s international campuses in Boston, San Francisco, London, Dubai and Shanghai, where college and university students from all over the globe came together to find solutions to the global food crisis. The challenge, which had been personally selected by key partner President Clinton, attracted  10,000 applicants  from more than 150 countries representing  more than 350 higher education institutions. â€Å"We are very proud to host this ground-breaking competition that engages some of the most talented students around the world,† says Dr. Stephen Hodges, President of Hult International Business School. â€Å"With millions of people worldwide living in poverty, marrying the best ideas with seed capital to drive social change is where the Hult Prize can make a real difference.† The global finals will be held at the 2013 Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in New York in September. Note: Student teams that did not win the regionals can now compete in the online competition, which will produce a 6th  winner. The competition opened for entries on the 3rd  of March. About Hult Prize The Hult Prize is a start-up accelerator for social entrepreneurship which brings together the brightest college and university students from around the globe to solve the world’s most pressing issues. The annual initiative is the world’s largest crowd-sourcing platform for social good. For more information, go to  www.hultprize.org. About Hult International Business School Hult is the worlds most international business school with campuses in Boston, San Francisco, London, Dubai, and Shanghai, and rotation centers in New York and Sà £o Paulo. The school offers MBA, Executive MBA, Master and Bachelor degree programs. Hult’s one-year MBA program is ranked 1st in Percentage Salary Increase by  The Economist  and Top 10 in International Business and International Experience by the  Financial Times. For more information, go to  www.hult.edu. Make the most of what your career has to offer with a Masters in International Business from Hult. To learn more, take a look at our blog Tackling the youth unemployment crisis: Hult Prize Regional Finals 2019, or give your employability a huge boost with an MBA in international business. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to explore everything about the business world, the future, and yourself. Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .