Elements of Folk Psychology: Outline of a Psychological History of the Development of MankindWundt, Wilhelm Max
Science
Elements of Folk Psychology: Outline of a Psychological History of the Development of Mankind
Wundt, Wilhelm Max
Ethnopsychology
The primitive stage of human development, discussed in the preceding
chapter, possessed no real cults in the strict sense of the term.
Occasional suggestions or beginnings of cult acts were to be found,
in the form of a number of magical customs. Such, particularly, were
the efforts to expel sickness demons; also, the ceremonial dances
designed to bring success to joint undertakings, as, for example, the
above-mentioned dance of the Veddah about an arrow, whose purpose,
perhaps, was to insure a successful hunt, if we would judge, among
other things, from the fact that the dancers imitated the movements of
animals.
In contrast to these meagre magical usages, which, for the most part,
served individual purposes, the totemic age developed a great variety
of cults. Just as the totemic tribal organization is an impressive
phenomenon when compared with the primitive horde, so also do we
marvel at the rich development of cults with which we meet as we pass
to the totemic age. These cults are associated not only with the most
important events of human life but also with natural phenomena, though,
of course, only in so far as the latter affect the interests of man,
the weal or woe that is in store for the individual or for the tribal
community. Generally speaking, therefore, these cults may be divided
into two great classes. Though these two classes of cults are, of
course, frequently merged and united--for the very reason that both
spring from the same emotions of hope, of desire, and of fear--they
are nevertheless clearly distinguishable by reference to the immediate
purpose which the magic of the cult aims to serve. The first of these
classes includes those cults which relate to the most significant
events of human life; the second, those concerned with the natural
phenomena most important to man.
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