Review By Darren Mann (The Paranormal Database)
Jack Hunter’s Why People Believe in Spirits, Gods and Magic takes an anthropological approach to examining potential answers to its title, examining ghosts, witchcraft, shamanism and other convictions within the context of human societies and cultures.
While slightly heavier than the typical book on the paranormal, this is no bad thing – sometimes it pays to question our opinions and examine the world from a different perspective. It is also refreshing to read references to other cultural beliefs, and be made aware that while the paranormal exists all over the world, the form it takes can be radically different from that to which we are normally exposed.
As expected from a work coming from an academic approach, the references are many and highlight a plethora of paths for any interested party to follow. The writing style reflects its approach, although a remark about anthropologists who start to believe that ghosts are the spirits of the dead have gone ‘native’ made me smile.
It is important to remember the work is an introduction - the majority of chapters could easily become major works in themselves, which one hopes will one day happen.
Hunter concludes by recommending a multi-disciplinary approach to examining the paranormal, one which combines parapsychology and anthropology, and having made some compelling points, one leaves the book thinking ‘why not?’ – after all, there are some massive holes in our paranormal knowledge, even after a hundred years of scientific research.
Overall, a well argued, refreshingly different and eye opening look at the world of beliefs and the paranormal.
(http://www.paranormaldatabase.com/books/)
While slightly heavier than the typical book on the paranormal, this is no bad thing – sometimes it pays to question our opinions and examine the world from a different perspective. It is also refreshing to read references to other cultural beliefs, and be made aware that while the paranormal exists all over the world, the form it takes can be radically different from that to which we are normally exposed.
As expected from a work coming from an academic approach, the references are many and highlight a plethora of paths for any interested party to follow. The writing style reflects its approach, although a remark about anthropologists who start to believe that ghosts are the spirits of the dead have gone ‘native’ made me smile.
It is important to remember the work is an introduction - the majority of chapters could easily become major works in themselves, which one hopes will one day happen.
Hunter concludes by recommending a multi-disciplinary approach to examining the paranormal, one which combines parapsychology and anthropology, and having made some compelling points, one leaves the book thinking ‘why not?’ – after all, there are some massive holes in our paranormal knowledge, even after a hundred years of scientific research.
Overall, a well argued, refreshingly different and eye opening look at the world of beliefs and the paranormal.
(http://www.paranormaldatabase.com/books/)