`Divination' in its loosest sense refers to a grab-bag of
literally thousands of mystic techniques for `information extraction'
either from the present (dowsing, iridology) to the future (astrology,
rune-casting). Oddly enough, science has its own `divination'
techniques: it learns as much about certain phenomena as possible, then
uses that to `predict' future behavior
(weather-forecasting,
stock- market `analysis')..
6: THE
SUPERNATURAL
If Divination could be said to be a `technology',
then
the The Supernatural is the `science' behind it. Unlike
science
however, there is a huge number of versions of
it, with many giving rise to our various cultures. It is
claimed
by many folk to be an alternative reality which controls the natural
one we experience through our senses (and understand through science,
which has yet to `discover' it). It's a vast `field', which includes
all the religions on earth, along with their various cousins:
mysticism, voodoo, paganism etc, along with all their various
versions.
7:
APPARITIONS
Apparitions
again covers an immense field that includes ghosts, flying saucers,
sightings of the Virgin Mary, alien beings, devils. Like hypnotism and
religious mania, they may derive from one's cultural background. Most
Europeans are of Celtic origin, which has given us much of the
folkloric beliefs encapsulated so well in Lord of the Rings, the Harry Potter novels,
and
so many other magical titles. It may be mostly Catholics who
are
prone to Virgin Mary apparitions, whereas people of African descent are
more likely to see visions relating to their original cultures. Flying
Saucers, while not an ancient phenomenon, illustrate how
those
from our modern technology-based cultures may be subject to the same
mania. Of course there are some in this group who insist they are real,
but then so do many people from the other faiths.
8:
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
A practice
which may well go back to truly ancient times before humans evolved
from their ape-like anscestors - and possibly before even that. Some
animals, even domestic dogs and cats, will eat grass when feeling
unwell. As it happens, many modern drugs derive from herbs, purified to
reduce sometimes poisonous side-effects. Other treatments, mostly of a
physically manipulative nature with mystic `philosophies'
behind them, may be almost as ancient. Modern times have
produced `natural' treatments with a pseudo-scientific basis. Like
flying saucers, these also have their devotted followings.
Often, alternative medicines can `cure' just enough people
(the placebo effect is often mentioned here) to convince others to part
with often large sums of money. This encourages the practitioners,
possibly the majority, to genuinely believe their treatments to be
effective. The remainder unfortunately can only see opportunities for
fraud.
