Describing, Interpreting, and Explaining Spirit Possession
The Mind Possessed October 1, 2007 DOI: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195323351.003.0004
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractChapters 4 and 5 present a scientific approach to studying possession cults and spirit phenomena, reviewing past and present methods. Chapter 4 examines ethnographic description and anthropological interpretation, emphasizing the importance of rich description and faithful representation of cultural meaning for developing scientific theories.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Rich ethnographic description and faithful representation of cultural meaning are essential for generating scientific theories about spirit possession. |
Abstract
Abstract Chapters 4 and 5 introduce more comprehensively the scientific approach to be adopted, incorporating a review of past and present approaches to possession cults and spirit phenomena. The first of these chapters looks at ethnographic description and anthropological interpretation of spirit possession phenomena, considering the roles of both rich description and faithful representation of cultural meaning for the generation of scientific theories.