Hassell

Sophie Hassell
Dr. Katz
ANTH 3090-001
1 March 2016
Exam 1
2. What is the Relationship Between Magic, Science, and Religion?
Cultures, since the beginning of time, have been utilizing magic, religion and science in
their understanding of the inhabited world. A common belief surrounds the idea that societies
progress from savages to mature as they discard magic to religion and then religion to science.
The relationship with magic, religion, and science is that they are a coexisting trinity utilized in
even the most advanced societies today. Even the societies that have greatly progressed in the
field of science possess evidence of magical and religious inquiry.
American baseball is a prime example of an advanced societys utilization of magic and
religion. Baseball Magic, by George Gmelch, provides insight to different rituals, taboos and
fetishes that demonstrates how the sport is more intricate than suspected. Players often utilize
fetishes to bring them good luck during the game. These supernatural objects bring players a
magical hope of success (Gmelch 3). Other players have their own personal rituals. Repeating
the same principle, such as sitting in a designated spot in the dugout bench, brings magic and
promise to an unpredictable matter (Gmelch 1-2). Taboos are also formed by the players, usually
after unfavorable events. While some taboos are minuscule, they are worshiped by individuals as
a religious routine. Once formed, taboos become a players routine and is understood that if
followed, success is ensured (Gmelch 3). There is a sense of ease in magic and religion. While
science has progressed and brought great new discoveries to the world, there are still

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unpredictable matters. People trust science to bring health and prosperity, but they want to seek
the comfort of magic and religion. Although baseball is unpredictable, the players still like to
believe that their magic and religious practices will bring them a desirable outcome.
Humanity utilizes magic, religion and science through interactions in society. Barbara
Strassbergs writing, Magic, Religion, Science, Technology and Ethics in the Postmodern
World, discusses how these beliefs are interconnected and present throughout the evolutionary
process. Science relies on testing and proving while magic and religion can rely on neither, rather
human faith (Strassberg 307). Although it is stated that magic, religion and science are present
within all cultures, some practice one more intensely than the others. This can sometimes be
viewed, for example, as science replacing magic and religion while that may not be the case
(Strassberg 308). Anthropologist Malinowski agreed in the coexisting of the magic, religion and
science human cultures developed. He presented ideas in which magic and religion are more of
an emotional affection (Strassberg 309). This demonstrates that when science can not be fully
relied on, humans turn their emotions to an invisible power to offer them relief.
Interestingly, the article, Making Worlds through Religion, Science and Magic, by
Margaret J Wiener, provides insight to the idea that the world is built off of each concept. Magic,
once unique in itself, has been adapted into aspects of religion and science (Wiener 11). Each
aspect utilizes the others in their beliefs and teachings. Harry Potter, for example, is seemingly a
story about magic. Aspects of religion and science are found throughout the plot as the students
worship their practice or carefully produce potions with definitive instructions. Advancements in
the techno-science field has also enhance the spreading of magical and religious ways. Humans
no longer have to venture to distant locations to experience cultures. Instead science is providing

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a gateway to a wide range of information for all to experience (Wiener 10). Magic, religion and
science overlap one another enhancing the culture of society.
Magic, religion and science are complex individually but when together make up an
intricate system of human belief. Magic provides an immediate explanation and determines a
solution to an inexplicable misfortune. For example, in Gmelchs Baseball Magic, many of the
players utilize fetishes and follow taboos to prevent unfavorable outcomes. Religion seeks to
understand why evil things happen and explain the reasons for the misfortune. When the bad can
not be proven, often fault can be placed on ones own wrongdoing, an ancestors mistake or even
Gods action to improve or mess with individuals. Science relies on facts and evidence to explain
situations. When science may not provide a promising result, such as in the case of a terminal
illness, many put their faith in the inexplicable, magic and religion, to bring positive results.
Magic, religion and science coexist in society, regardless of how primitive or advance it may be.

4. How Have Freak Shows Colluded with Science in the Construction of Monsters?
Monsters have been around for for centuries. According to Carl Linnaeus, monsters
disturb the normal classification of animals. Freaks paralleled the idea of disturbing human
normality by being physically different than the majority. During the Nineteenth Century, there
became a fascination with the abnormal. People were eager to see exotic animals, and soon
freakish people. Freak shows have colluded with science in the creation of monsters by
increasing human desire to see the bizarre and to push for the creation of improved beings.
Humans have a natural inclination to be curious about what they do not know. Dr. Harlan
Wilsons Review: An Evolution of Monsterology, discusses how monsters have been perceived
in the past and what has changed since then. Many scientists became infatuated with

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understanding the reasons and concepts of why birth defects occurred. People were not accepting
of those different than them, which demonstrates how monsters reflects the insecurities of human
nature. With the increase of scientific knowledge, God no longer was the creator of monsters, but
rather science became the producer of irregular beings (Wilson 296). Barnums freak shows
demonstrated how science and the creations of monsters interfered with the natural life process.
One example of this was the Feejee Mermaid, which was so proudly advertised as a unique
feature to the show. While this was merely a monkey and large fish attached, many people
believed it to be a newly discovered monster. Also, in many shows, Barnum exploited people
with physical disabilities and ailments. This introduced the concept of drawing people in with
disbelief for capital gain (Wilson 296). Freak shows utilized science and medical inquiry to
create a general ideology of monsters being those deformed and abnormal.
Science has had a great impact in the construction of monsters. Stephen Asma explains
the human infatuation with monsters in his article, Monsters and the Moral Imagination.
Monsters are often exaggerated into something more than they are. An example of this is the
monster in Frankenstein (Asma 3). In this story, Victor Frankenstein uses science to create a
monster only classifying it by appearance. Freak shows acted the same way; they labeled
people as freaks based on their outward appearance and abnormalities. Monsters can be
created by mirroring societal issues. People feel vulnerable or unhappy in their own lives thus
creating monsters (Asma 7). Asma writes that as long as there are real enemies in the world,
there will be useful dramatic versions of them in our heads (19). Science helped society have
control over some of these real enemies through the practice of Eugenics. This natural
selection process aimed to eliminate any chance that the monstrous freaks and weird could

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reproduce through forcibly sterilizing them. Eugenics, like freak shows, made individuals feel
inhuman and labeled them as monsters in society.
Ideas surrounding monsters became a prominent teenage film phenomenon in the mid
twentieth-century. Cynthia Miller and A. Bowdoin Van Riper trace the Monster Rock genre in
their article, Marketing, Monsters, and Music: Teensploitation Horror Films. These films
aimed to introduce teens to the real life monsters and issues present in society. Teens are seen as
victims in the films. Adult scientists physically turn them into monsters only to be saved by other
teenagers (Miller and Van Riper 131). Science is perceived to be valued by boring adults instead
of the fun youth. In many cases, adult scientists and teens have to join forces in order to stop a
monster from attacking (Miller and Van Riper 135). In other movie plots, the scientists create the
monster. For example, teens become giant monsters when ingesting a scientists goo only to be
saved by the same scientist (Miller and Van Riper 136). This demonstrates that when a scientist
creates a monster, they must also defeat it. Monsters become the scientists unfortunate creation
resulting in a battle between humanity and the elimination of the monster.
Society often others individuals and groups from the idea of normality. Freak shows
focused on physical disabilities or appearance of people to gain profit. Humans became eager to
view those different from them to feel better about their own lives. These freaks became
labeled as human monsters and were presented for people to gawk at. Science and medical
interests also helped to construct monsters. The fascination with the human abnormalities led
scientists to want to study those who were different. Science even went as far as practicing
Eugenics to prevent more human abominations through sterilization. Monsters were also very
popular in teen films of the mid-1900s. Scientists were often portrayed negatively, transforming
teens into monsters. Freak shows and science exploited their positions to construct monsters.

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Bibliography
Asma, Stephen T. 2009. Monsters and the Moral Imagination. The Chronicle of Higher
Education. October 25
Gmelch, George. 2000. Revised version of "Superstition and Ritual in American
Baseball" from
Elysian Fields Quarterly, Vol. 11, No. 3, 1992, pp. 25-36, McGraw-Hill/Dushkin

Strassberg, Barbara A. 2005. Magic, Religion, Science, Technology and Ethics in the
Postmodern World. Fortieth Anniversary Symposium: Science, Religion, and Secularity
in a Technological Society Zygon, vol. 40, no. 2
Wiener, Margaret J. 2004. Making World through Religion, Science and Magic. Anthropology
News, November