Malinowski\'S Concept OF Culture Magic Science AND Religion PDF

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Bronoslaw Kasper Malinowski was a social anthropologist who was born in Poland. In the year 1920, he began his professional training and career in England. He is widely regarded as the Father of Social Anthropology for his pioneering use of participant observation and expert ethnographic accounts of...

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MALINOWSKI'S CONCEPT OF CULTURE MAGIC SCIENCE AND RELIGION

INTRODUCTION

Bronoslaw Kasper Malinowski was a social anthropologist who was born in Poland. In the year 1920, he began his professional training and career in England. He is widely regarded as the Father of Social Anthropology for his pioneering use of participant observation and expert ethnographic accounts of indigenous people's culture and society. He studied social systems using a methodological and theoretically sound approach. During World War II, he did most of his fieldwork among the Papua-Melanesian people of the Trobriand Islands in the Western Pacific. This intensive field work on the indigenous culture of the Melanesian people resulted in his book Argonauts of the Western Pacific, which was published in 1922. In his book A Scientific Theory of Culture, published in 1960, Malinowski pushed for the use of scientific analysis of culture. Malinowski's basic concepts of religion, magic, and rationality among the people of primitive societies were born from an analysis of the social structure of this society. Furthermore, the study of the Malenesian people's economic activities has aided in the development of a comprehensive understanding of the structure and operation of the society's social institutions. The Kula ring, for example, is a system of exchange that not only has economic significance in the community but also aids in the development of mutual interdependence relationships among the people who live on the islands. As a result, Malisnowski's research has aided the development of the structural-functional perspective in social anthropology.

MAGIC , SCIENCE AND RELIGION

The essay Magic, Science, and Religion (1948) by Malinowski is a revision of his account of magic and religion among the Trobriand Island's Melanesian people. He

examines a variety of Melanesian practises and beliefs, including myths, rituals associated with gardening, fishing, and day-to-day activities, and their belief in the existence of the dead spirit. Malinowski evaluates and compares the concepts of magic and religion presented by Edward Burnett Tylor, James Frazer, Emile Durkheim, William Roberstson Smith, and Robert Ranulph Marett, as well as other anthropologists who have presented their ideas on religion in primitive societies. Malinowski attempts to provide a generalised theory of the social functions of Magic and Religion in all societies based on his analysis of the Malenesian society. Malinowski claims that primitive man's religion is more than just a belief in spirits and souls; it is also a way for him to imagine the outside world in his own image. As a result, religion assists the primitive man in comprehending his surroundings and also explains natural events such as death and natural disasters. As a result, religion plays an important role in the primitive man's social life. Similarly, magic, which is widely practised among the Trobriand Islanders, plays a significant role in the daily lives of the people of that society. Magic and its relation to science

Malinowski draws a parallel between magic and science in order to explain the social function of magic among the primitive people. While science is based on experience and guided by logic, magic is created through tradition in a mystic environment. Science is the study of natural forces, whereas magic is the belief in a mystic, impersonal power that is invoked through a magical act. While science aids in the explanation of natural phenomena through laws, magic is used to directly control nature through the application of mystical power by humans. Malinowski, on the other hand, claims that even the most primitive savage communities have the beginnings of science, however rudimentary. Magic can be thought of as a primitive form of science. Magic isn't just a collection of activities carried out at random. It is a method of performing a set of rites and spells that have been carefully chosen to produce a specific effect. These rites and spells' rules and conception are also based on personal experience. The incantations are based on logical inferences embodied in material

accomplishments. The logical inferences in magic, like scientific generalisations about the laws of natural phenomena, are also generalisations about similar phenomena. Extensive magical rites and incantations, for example, are performed during the construction of a canoe to reduce the likelihood of it sinking. As a result, the native will always state the outcome of the magical rite. This is similar to how scientific experiments are repeated. As a result, the Melanesians create their own scientific models in the form of magic, which are simple and useful paraphrases of the complex and abstract reality. Nonetheless, the logic behind a magical activity differs from scientific reason. When the distinction between work and magic is made, the difference between the two is immediately apparent. The natives recognise that when building a canoe, a wider span of outrigger will give it more stability. This understanding is based on scientific principles. They are, however, still at the mercy of the tides, reefs, and unknown reefs, all of which have the potential to destroy the canoe. They use magic to control these forces and save the canoe, which has been passed down through the generations and has previously yielded positive results. As a result, magic's primary social function is to give natives a sense of power and control over natural forces that are otherwise unfathomable. As a result, there is magic in every aspect of a native's life.

Religion among the primitive men Malinowski goes on to explain the difference between magic and religion in greater detail. While magic can be found in both the scared and mundane aspects of a native's life, religion is only found in the sacred. 'Things that are set apart and forbidden,' says Malinowski, referring to Durkheim's definition of the sacred. Religion, on the other hand, has an impact on all objects and aspects of human life. On the one hand, magic is an attempt to exert direct control over natural forces, while religion is the appropriation of higher powers. As a result, Malinowski concurs with Frazer's assessment of religion and the concept of totem, as well as its religious significance in primitive society. Magic is based on man's belief that he can directly control nature, whereas religion is a confession of human powerlessness in certain areas. It elevates

man above the realm of magic. It is the belief in a higher power that is uncontrollable or comprehendible by humans. Mana is the Malenesians' term for this power. This power is sometimes thought to reside in an object or a living being. Thus, religion for Malinowski encompasses animism, animatism, totemism, and fetishism, but not exclusively. Totemism is thus defined as religious beliefs and practises that express primitive man's fascination with his surroundings, as well as his desire to claim an affinity for and control the most important objects that are symbolic of the existence of a higher power. Totemism is a combination of a utilitarian anxiety about these objects and a preoccupation with these that capture the primitive man's imagination. Religion, according to Malinowski, is important for both the group and the individual. The group as a whole chooses a totem, and the belief system functions through practical cooperation and mental solidarity. Religious belief is once again preserved and passed down through the generations as a group tradition. Myths about totems are one of the sources of this tradition. As a result, religion preserves the community's highest value, namely the conformity and conservation of its members, because order and civilization can only be maintained through strict adherence to the lore and knowledge passed down through the generations. Any lapse in this adherence erodes the group's cohesion and jeopardises the group's cultural outfit to the point of extinction. However, unlike Durkheim, Malinowski believes that religion and the social are not synonymous, because the social includes both the sacred and profane. Importance of religion in life and death

In the examination of one's own life, one's understanding of religion's significance becomes more apparent. According to Malinowski, religion plays a role in all physiological stages of human life, as well as in times of crisis. The working of the superior power or spirits explains the incomprehensible changes of the human body, such as puberty and death. As a result, elaborate religious rituals accompany puberty, death, and the conception of a child in order to appease the superior powers. The rituals include systematic instruction in sacred myths and tradition for individuals, the gradual unveiling of tribal

mysteries, and the display of community-scared objects. These mysteries and myths are often thought to have been created by one or more legendary ancestors or cultureheroes, or by a superior being of superhuman character, and are thus terrifying. Unlike magic, the outcome of religious ceremonies is unpredictable. The rites of passage only bring the novice into contact with higher powers and personalities, such as the North American Indians' guardian spirits and tutelary divinities. Malinowski goes into great detail about the religious rituals surrounding death, as well as their social and personal significance. For the primitive man, death is a lifethreatening situation. The incomprehensibility of the cause of death, as well as the question of what happens to the soul after death, contribute to the terror of death. Death is not only a loss for the deceased's family, but it is also an event that puts the entire community in awe of death. The religious rituals that follow a death unite the entire community, allowing them to express their solidarity through a period of mourning. Malinowski also claims that the desire for immortality is a feature of the primitive man's mind. This desire stems from the sire's desire to have complete control over life and death. Thus, rituals associated with the dead aid in overcoming aversion to the dead body, overcoming fear of the dead, and reestablishing faith in a future life, in the survival of the spirit. These activities confirm the group's cohesion and solidarity once more.

Criticisms

Malinowski's understanding of magic science and religion, on the other hand, has been criticised for ignoring the analysis of conflict in these primitive societies and overemphasising the concept of positive functions of religion and magic, much like the other structural functionalists. Malinowski's work has been criticised by Robert Redfield, who claims that he generalised from a single case a common human nature and a universal pattern of religious functions.

Conclusion

Thus, as explained by Malinowski, the concept of magic, science, and religion in primitive society explains how the entire social structure of these societies is intertwined by the community's magical and religious beliefs. Understanding the function of primitive religion and magic allows for a more complete understanding of these societies' other institutions. Simultaneously, we see how religion and magic are the primary sources of social cohesion and solidarity among primitive society's inhabitants. In order to compare primitive and modern societies from a structural functionalist perspective, Malinowski's analysis is required.

THE STUDY OF CULTURE

Malinowski's cultural analysis is an attempt to establish anthropology as the primary study of human behaviour and culture. For a complete understanding of their basic concepts, all aspects of sociology and all disciplines that study humans must conduct a cultural analysis. Human beings' political and economic activities are embedded in society's culture, so a holistic understanding of the society's social structure is impossible without a thorough understanding of culture. Malinowski's goal was to make anthropology's cultural analysis more scientific. He also argued that the methodology of all social science disciplines should be based on a common scientific foundation. The use of similar methods of study by social scientists in the study of social phenomena demonstrates their scientific fervour. The study of facts has already established itself in the social sciences. The primary method for studying social facts is through the application of theory, which is based on a history of thought and empiricism. Generalizations, systematic theorization, and the use of previous observation for future prediction are all examples of scientific methods of analysis, according to Malinowski. Malinowski, on the other hand, believes that human

behaviour is more or less scientific. Making fire, for example, is a scientific act that was accomplished through scientific observation and experiment. As a result, the study of such human behaviour should be primarily scientific. Malinowski employs and promotes the evolutionary perspective in his cultural analysis. Because culture and civilizations are always changing, studying the stages of human society's evolution is the best way to gain a comprehensive understanding of culture. The spread of culture aids evolution even more. As a result, studying culture entails studying cultural diffusion. Diffusion of culture supports the evolutionary viewpoint once more, attempting to draw broad generalisations about the origin of culture and the commonality of cultural traits among various societies around the world. These processes can be demonstrated using the comparative method in the study of various societies. The study of cultural components is another facet of culture research. A society's material and non-material aspects are included in this category. Culture is defined by customs, beliefs, and ideas. Malinowski also supports the use of psychological interpretation in the study of such cultural aspects. Definition of culture

In his essay A Scientific Study of Culture, Malinowski defines culture as "integral whole made up of tools and consumer goods, as well as constitutional charters for various social groups of human ideas, crafts, beliefs, and customs. 'It is a vast apparatus, partly material, partly human, and partly spiritual, through which man is able to cope with the concrete, specific problems that confront him,' he says." Human problems arise as a result of their requirements. According to Malinowski, man creates a secondary or artificial environment to meet these needs. Culture is the only thing that exists in this secondary environment. Culture's creation also resulted in a new cultural standard of living and a new set of requirements. Culture isn't static; it develops and evolves. Education is the means by which culture is passed down from generation to generation. People learn various cultural traits by referring to previous generations and their ways of life on a regular basis. Order and law must be maintained in society and the social institutions that carry the basic

cultural traits in order for culture to be transmitted properly. Because cooperation is at the heart of every cultural achievement, the entire society must work together to maintain order and harmony. It is necessary to create sanctions, customs, ethics, and laws in order to achieve this goal. Aside from these customs and laws, culture's material substratum must be renewed and kept in good working order. Malinowski divides cultural prerequisites into two types, similar to how he divides the material and non-material aspects of culture. Integrative imperatives and integrative imperatives are the terms for these. Economic activity, normative, educational, and political imperatives make up the instrumental imperatives. These activities are important in achieving culture's main goal, which is to meet people's needs. Knowledge, religion, and magic, on the other hand, are integral imperatives. These imperatives are in charge of ensuring that the secondary environment's needs are met. These concepts, according to Malinowksi, are the ideal types for analysing how culture works in practise. The cultural elements and imperatives are not chosen at random. Culture, according to Malinowski, is an organised way of meeting needs. As a result, culture has a structure that determines the structure of society. This structure can be used anywhere. The constitution of social institutions manifests the organised form of culture. As a result, social institutions in all societies, according to Malinowski, have a common foundational principle. A social anthropologist's goal is to discover this universal structure of culture, which will make the study of culture more scientific. Understanding this universal structure of culture and its institutions requires an evolutionary perspective and a study of cultural diffusion. The study of culture is the study of culture alone. As a result, Malinowski agrees with Durkheim's understanding of the goal of sociological research. Malinowksi defines a cultural fact as "any cultural activity that is organised as a set of cooperative activities." As a result, the science of human behaviour, also known as culture, starts with organisation. The definition and framing of rules and regulations of ideal behaviours that are applicable to all within an institution is what organisation entails. As a result, all evolutionary shifts take the form of institutional shifts. Acceptance of

these rules also indicates the community's acceptance of certain fundamental values and laws. This unanimity of values and laws is referred to as a charter by Malinowski.

Cultural institutions and types of needs

Malinowski goes on to talk about the elements of culture and the institutions that create culture. Depending on the types of organised behaviour on which they are built, these institutions take on a variety of shapes. Those based on cultural universals are the most important of these institutions. Universal cultural traits and human needs are referred to as cultural universals. The institution of family is an example of this. According to Malinowski, each institution is founded on a set of universally accepted principles. The family, for example, is founded on reproductive principles of integration. Because all humans reproduce, the family and activities based on a permanent marriage contract are the dominant interests that can be listed as cultural universals. As a result, the following are the various organisational principles of cultural institutions: 1. Integration principle The principle of propinquity and contiguity is the second. The locality or neighbourhood is an example of a group based on this. 3. Human physiology and anatomy-based principle: includes sex-based groups such as male and female totemic groups, as well as age groups or age grades based on universally accepted differentiation norms. 4. The association principle. These institutions include social clubs, for example. 5. The ability, training, and preference principles in the workplace. Occupational clubs such as hunters, fishermen, and farmers are examples of groups that fall under this principle. Malinowski goes on to discuss the cultural needs that must be met, as well as the cultural traits and institutions that result from these needs. These requirements are further subdivided into basic and derived requirements. Malinowski's concept of culture functioning is summarised in the charts below.

Conclusion :

As a result, Malinowski defines culture by examining human needs. His cultural analysis reflects the intellectual continuity of his research into Melanesian culture. In Melanesian culture, for example, religion as a cultural institution arose from people's need to deal with life and life's crises, such as death. As a result of his propagation of the structural functionalist school of thought, he provides a scientific interpretation of tradition and culture.

LETS SUM UP

Bronoslaw kasper Malinowski used a structural functionalist approach to examine the concepts of culture, magic,...