Critics On The Theory That Art Originated From Sorcery

The researches on the origin of art not only help us to study the nature of the art, but also give us the better understanding on and the role of the arts and the position in human life. Because according to the different theories of the origin of art, we can obtain very different understanding on the nature of art, and understandings on the role of art in human society. The theory that art originated from perspective sorcery is one of the most influential theories in the West. This theory is based on the study which researches the relationship between the works of original art and witchcraft activities, and the first invented in a book, which named "Art and sorcery - the talk about the reindeer's painting and sculpture" by S·Ranch.The purpose of this paper is to analysis and question theory that the art originated in witchcraft doctrine the. This article doesn't intend to deny the relationship between magic and the arts i - this relationship is obvious, and therefore can not be denied - but intend to prove the hypothesis that the art originated from witchcraft is illogically.Based on the above considerations, my thesis is divided into three chapters. The first chapters will analysis the theoretical basis of the theory that arts originated from sorcery. In nineteenth-century, many anthropologists such as Edward Tylor, James Fraser the have researched on the way of original thinking. The studies on ways of thinking of the primitive tribe provide detailed and rich information for the research results on the theory that the arts originated from witchcraft. Both Talor's animism and Fraser's sympathetic magic are based on imagination. The description of imagine performance in witchcraft is very similar to Italian philosopher Vico's poetry thinking, and even can be said to be the same.Secondly, this chapter summarized and analysis the assumed factual basis. The location and characteristics of pictures on the rock wall in original rock seem to provide solid factual basis for the theory that art originated in witchcraft. But it was not the fact, that only show that arts and sorcery always be linked together from the old time.The second Chapter will summarizes the common characteristics which scholars generally agree on that the ground of witchcraft: firstly, Witchcraft is a craft, and art has often been used as means of witchcraft in order to achieve a certain factual purpose, and the witchcraft also accompanied with strong emotion. That is the main reason that art for the theory that art originated from witchcraft. Therefore, the central factor of voodoo is art, and voodoo is a way to reach some purposes. We can say that the most fundamental characteristic of witchcraft is imagination. The Italy anesthetist Vico thought the earliest thinking way of human mind is poetry thinking, and rational thinking derived from poetry thinking.Through the study of witchcraft, we can know: what Taylor and Fraser said about the witchcraft is personification, that is to say, human kind always compare things as him. Poetic thinking is not only man's most basic characteristics way of thinking, but also is the root of human people for changing the world as well as the creation of civilization. Thus we can say that witchcraft is the practice that human beings master the world by way of art.The third chapter will analyze the assumed hypothesis which the theory that art originated from the witchcraft agree on: that is "Art is Beauty". This idea emerged after the West Renaissance, and its history is extremely short. This chapter will elaborate that "Beauty is not the essence of the art". Therefore, although witchcraft art is not take Beauty as the goal an art, but regarding witchcraft art as predecessor of truly art, that is to say "art stemmed from the witchcraft", was also worth further discussing.Another concept closely linked with the concept that Art is beauty is "Art is the disinterested." Kant concerned about the own value of the arts, he aimed to make distinction between art and science, ethics, entertainment; this is indeed the correct understanding of art. However, the ultra-utilitarian nature of art does not mean that the art can not be combined with practical purpose and does not mean art can not play a huge role in life.In addition, this chapter will briefly set out the view that the primitive people, as the modern, also have the aesthetic experience. So that the aesthetic features and functional features of original at can nt be totally separated.