It is only when I encounter serious, unironic magical thinking that I realize I'll never be able to get beyond ironic indulgence in it. I cannot unsee the very obvious and systematic breaks with realism. I'm not a rationalist, but I'm definitely a hardliner realist.
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do you think magical thinking is ever adaptive (ie correct response to the situation)?
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Oh definitely. It works and is adaptive, but never for the reasons its sincere believers think it does.
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Do you think magical thinking as such has many 'sincere' believers?
It seems to me that most magical thoughts (e.g. "My tripping on that stone is a bad omen for the day") are very loosely held beliefs, more forms of self-signaling.
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Yes there are plenty. John Michael Greer is one (I just tweeted links to some excellent writing by him a few tweets back). He is a literal ordained druid and practitioner.
Really interesting, I'll follow the links. Thank you.


