Deck 7: Magic and Divination

Question 1

Image magic is an example of:

A)contagious magic
B)homeopathic magic
C)harmonious magic
D)representational magic

Answer 1

homeopathic magic

Question 2

Branislaw Malinowski theorized that magic rituals serve to help the person who practices them to:

A)keep his mind off the upcoming activity
B)try to control or eliminate the elements of chance and uncertainty
C)fit into his society's norms
D)remove the supernatural influence on everyday endeavors

Answer 2

try to control or eliminate the elements of chance and uncertainty

Question 3

To people who practice magic it appears never to fail because:

A)if you do not get the expected result it is because you did not do it right
B)if it does fail,someone else was doing countermagic
C)humans tend to remember successes and forget failures
D)all of the above

Answer 3

all of the above

Question 4

Magic is most frequently found in situations that are:

A)unpredictable
B)reasonably reliable
C)associated with those at the fringes of society
D)associated with the politically powerful

Question 5

The doctrine of signatures tells us that:

A)plants have signs that proclaim their use
B)the future can be read in a person's signature
C)cures occur when a person touches the correct sign painted on a cave wall
D)certain hand gestures must be avoided or else the individual will fall ill

Question 6

Important features of magic are that magic:

A)creates hypotheses and theories
B)comes to testable conclusions
C)deals only with empirical observations
D)assumes a causal relationship between things that look similar

Question 7

The oral text of a magical ritual is often known as a:

A)spell
B)recitation
C)charm
D)liturgy

Question 8

Magic refers to rituals that people use to:

A)control the supernatural
B)call upon the deities for help
C)move a person from one status to another
D)explain a society's worldview

Question 9

Edward Tyler did not consider magic to be a part of religion because magic:

A)did not involve the performance of rituals
B)was not performed by religious specialists
C)did not involve gods and spirits
D)is used primarily to achieve evil ends

Question 10

Magic that is based upon the Law of Similarity is termed:

A)contagious magic
B)homeopathic magic
C)sympathetic magic
D)none of the above

Question 11

An example of homeopathic magic is:

A)praying for a god's blessing
B)Hopi villagers performing a kachina dance
C)imitating the mating and reproduction of an animal
D)reciting an evil spell over an enemy's hair clippings

Question 12

Magic ritual usually includes:

A)a spell
B)the manipulation of objects
C)special conditions for the performer of the ritual
D)all of the above

Question 13

Magic refers to the:

A)belief in a generalized supernatural power
B)belief in an ancestor that has been transformed into a god
C)use of ritual to cause injury or death
D)use of ritual to control events through supernatural mechanisms

Question 14

An example of contagious magic as a part of American folk medicine is:

A)a tea made of red flowers is good for bleeding
B)drawings of deer on the side of a barn will bring success in hunting
C)rub a penny on a wart and then throw the penny away to get rid of the wart
D)none of the above Answer c: page 139

Question 15

Émile Durkheim did not consider magic to be part of religion because:

A)religion involves the whole community but magic focuses on an individual
B)magic is not performed by religious specialists
C)magic does not involve gods and spirits
D)magic does not involve the performance of rituals

Question 16

The Law of Sympathy was developed by:

A)Edward Tyler
B)Robert Marett
C)Branislaw Malinowski
D)James Frazer

Question 17

Magic-like rituals are an important part of the behavior of athletes in athletic competition.Certain ritual behaviors,such as wearing the same clothing or washing one's hands after a losing inning,are:

A)learned and passed down in particular baseball teams
B)adopted because the player associated certain activities with success
C)purchased from magical specialists
D)none of the above

Question 18

The Law of Similarity states that:

A)magic depends on the apparent association between things
B)things that were once in contact continue to be connected
C)things that are alike are the same
D)none of the above

Question 19

The Law of Contact (Contagion)states that:

A)magic depends on the apparent association between things
B)things which are alike are the same
C)things that were once in contact continue to be connected
D)none of the above

Question 20

Among Australian aborigines,the family will react to what they believe is an impending death by:

A)singing ancestral songs
B)withdrawing from the dying person
C)withholding food and water
D)all of the above

Question 21

Which of the following statements about Wiccan magic is false?:

A)It is based on the worldview that there is a power that exists in all things.
B)Objects such as crystals,oils,candles and images are often used.
C)Working of magic requires a consideration of nature (e.g. ,season,weather).
D)Magic can be done to cause harm only if the person truly deserves it.

Question 22

Magic involves the manipulation of words and objects so as to compel a deity to bring about the desired result.

Question 23

Inspirational fortuitous forms of divination include:

A)astrology
B)prophecy
C)omens
D)mediums (psychics)

Question 24

The apparent connection between things that are no longer connected as a basis of magic defines homeopathic magic.

Question 25

Contagious magic is based on the premise that things that were once in contact always maintain a connection.

Question 26

A student picks up a coin from the sidewalk and puts it in her pocket.Later that day she takes an exam on which she scores an A.She then carries her "lucky coin" to her next exam.This is an example of magical thinking.

Question 27

The Zande poison oracle is an example of:

A)noninspirational deliberate divination
B)noninspirational fortuitous divination
C)inspirational deliberate divination
D)inspirational fortuitous divination

Question 28

In some societies guilt and innocence are determined by having a red-hot knife pressed against some part of the accused person's body.This is an example of a(n):

A)presentiment
B)ordeal
C)omen
D)none of the above

Question 29

By acting out the mating behavior of animals,Australian Aborigines believe that they are affecting the reproductive cycle of the animal.Such increase rituals are a form of homeopathic magic.

Question 30

Edward Tylor did not include magic in his definition of religion.

Question 31

Tarot cards and the reading of palms are examples of:

A)mechanical type of divination
B)possession
C)omens
D)ordeals

Question 32

The origins of Astrology appear to have been in:

A)Egypt
B)India
C)Babylonia
D)Iran

Question 33

Magic that is worked for antisocial and evil ends is known as:

A)witchcraft
B)sorcery
C)oneiromancy
D)necromancy

Question 34

Divination refers to method for:

A)controlling the behavior of spirits and deities
B)controlling events of nature
C)obtaining information about the normally unknowable
D)curing illness

Question 35

Noninspirational fortuitous forms of divination include:

A)astrology
B)prophecy
C)omens
D)mediums (psychics)

Question 36

Among the Trobriand Islanders,a "man with knowledge" is one who possesses technological knowledge as well as knowledge of magic.

Question 37

Divination can be used to:

A)determine the cause of an illness
B)provide the result of an undertaking that is about to begin
C)locate game for hunters
D)all of the above

Question 38

Magic involves the use of plant material,called medicines,in which supernatural power resides among the:

A)Trobriand Islanders
B)Fore
C)Azande
D)Wiccans

Question 39

Deliberate inspirational forms of divination include:

A)mediums (psychics)
B)reading palms
C)Zande poison oracle
D)prophecy

Question 40

A feeling that something is about to happen,such as an impending disaster,is known as:

A)necromancy
B)a presentiment
C)apantomancy
D)dowsing

Question 41

Explain the statement: "Magic always works."

Question 42

How does a Trobriand Islander obtain magic?

Question 43

What is the main distinction between fortuitous and deliberate divination? Between inspiration and Noninspirational divination? Provide examples.

Question 44

Why do athletes so often practice magic-like rituals?

Question 45

How does Wiccan magic differ from Trobriand Island magic?

Question 46

How are ordeals used in courts of law?

Question 47

What is the function of divination?

Question 48

How do the Trobriand Islanders view knowledge?

Question 49

The Azande utilize medicines that are objects in which supernatural power resides.

Question 50

A presentiment is a feeling that something is about to happen.

Question 51

How is magical thinking the basis of folk medicine? Can you find examples in contemporary American society?

Question 52

In benge or the poison oracle of the Azande poison is fed to pigs.

Question 53

What is the essential difference between technology and magic?

Question 54

The observation of animal behavior or objects in the sky such as comets is called omens.

Question 55

Possession and prophecy are examples of deliberate inspirational divination.

Question 56

The Fore believe that kuru is caused by sorcery based on homeopathic magic.

Question 57

Divination is a technique for finding out information about the unknown.

Question 58

Explain the difference between prophets and mediums.

Question 59

Why did many of the late nineteenth century anthropology consider magic not to be a part of religion?