It is the aim of this work to interpret magical thinking as a strong tendency towards categorization, towards simplification of an infinitely diverse reality and of its modifications, and its reduction to a limited number of static prototypes. In magical thinking similitu.de and contact (adjacency) are not only crucial principles of the human cognition; moreover they have their ontological dimensions: they direct the course of the world. Numerous examples of human conduct that are motivated by the laws of magic can be found not only in systems and their elements mentioned in canonical studies of magic (Frazer, Mauss) or in Eliade’s phenomenology of religion, but also in texts concerning European medieval and folk culture (Gurevich) or contemporary popular culture (astrology, prophecies etc.). Different phenomena of magical thinking like recurring time, imitations of extra-mundane models or of the past deeds can be described and explained by means of cognitivism. Various forms of popular metaphysics are also based on the tendency towards categorization. It is the tendency to eliminate everything particular and variable, and to inspell what is general and certain. Magical thinking does not acknowledge coincidence or probability, since everything is considered here necessary and can be instantly explained. and Cílem této práce je interpretovat magické myšlení jako výraznou snahu o kategorizaci, o zjednodušení nesmírné rozmanitosti reality a její modifikaci, redukci na omezený počet statických prototypů. Podobnost a dotyk (blízkost) jsou nejen klíčovými principy lidského poznávání; mají také ontologický rozměr, neboť ovlivňují podobu světa. Početné příklady lidského jednání motivovaného magickými zákonitostmi můžeme najít nejen v systémech a jejich součástech, popsaných v kanonických textech věnovaných náboženství (Frazer, Mauss) nebo v Eliadově fenomenologii náboženství, ale také v textech věnovaných evropské středověké a lidové kultuře (Gurevič) nebo současné lidové kultuře (astrologie, proroctví atd.). Různé aspekty magického myšlení, jako je cyklické vnímání času, imitace vzorů z „onoho světa" nebo minulých událostí, mohou být popsány a vysvětleny prostřednictvím kognitivismu. Různé formy lidové metafyziky také vycházejí ze snah o kategorizaci. Pod tímto termínem rozumím tendenci eliminovat vše konkrétní a proměnlivé a zdůraznit vše obecné a stálé. Magické myšlení neuznává náhodu a pravděpodobnost, neboť vše je pokládáno za nutné a objasnitelné.
Selský archiv is one of the most important journals focused on the ethnography of Moravia and Silesia. Sixteen volumes were published between the years 1902-1923. During that time, approximately two hundred regional authors published
approximately eight hundred texts of varied ethnographical value. The magazine was most famous when Vincenc Prasek was editor-in-chief of the first eight volumes.Prasek’s commentaries strongly influenced the general content of the texts published between 1902 and 1909. The region most commonly covered by the authors was Haná, due to the fact that most regular contributors hailed from this region. Between 1909 and 1923 the content is dominated by articles from the Horácko region written by Josef František Svoboda and František Trnka. These two authors wanted to turn this
magazine focused on popular science and history into a
professional journal addressing the key issues in ethnography and archival science. The biggest attention was paid to real-life
sources, as one can see in articles about minor countryside buildings supported by approximately one hundred drawings and/or photos.When put together, these texts basically cover all aspects of life in the Moravian and Silesian countryside. In addition, popular topics included folk literature, crafts, jobs and folk nomenclature. Selected bibliography, including abstracts and key words, is available at the website of the Czech Ethnographical Society.