James G. Frazer
James George Frazer
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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James George Frazer was a Scottish author, social anthropologist, and classical scholar who is best known for his influential work _The Golden Bough_. He is often referred to by his full name or initials (J.G. Frazer).
Birth and Death Dates
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Frazer was born on January 2, 1854, in Glasgow, Scotland, and passed away on May 7, 1941.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Frazer held Scottish nationality and worked as a classical scholar, social anthropologist, and author. His contributions to these fields have had a lasting impact on the way we understand human culture and society.
Early Life and Background
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James Frazer was born into an upper-middle-class family in Glasgow, Scotland. He studied at the University of Glasgow and later at Exeter College, Oxford, where he earned his degree in classics. Frazer's early life laid the foundation for his future academic pursuits, as he developed a deep interest in classical studies and philosophy.
Major Accomplishments
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Frazer's work spanned multiple disciplines, including social anthropology, classical studies, and comparative mythology. Some of his most notable accomplishments include:
The Golden Bough: A 12-volume work that explores the evolution of human culture through an analysis of mythological themes.
Man, God, and Mankind in the Light of Anthropology: A comprehensive study on the development of human society.
Frazer's research was groundbreaking in its time, as it challenged prevailing views on human culture and society. His work continues to influence scholars today.
Notable Works or Actions
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Some of Frazer's notable works include:
The Golden Bough: A 12-volume work that explores the evolution of human culture through an analysis of mythological themes.
Man, God, and Mankind in the Light of Anthropology: A comprehensive study on the development of human society.
Frazer was a respected authority in his field, known for his meticulous research and insightful commentary. His writing style was characterized by its clarity and accessibility, making complex ideas understandable to readers from diverse backgrounds.
Impact and Legacy
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James Frazer's work has had a lasting impact on various fields, including social anthropology, classical studies, and comparative mythology. His influence can be seen in the works of many notable scholars who have built upon his research:
Influence on Anthropology: Frazer's work laid the groundwork for modern anthropological theory.
Influence on Comparative Mythology: Frazer's analysis of mythological themes has shaped our understanding of human culture and society.
Frazer's contributions to these fields have had a lasting impact, as his ideas continue to shape scholarly debates today.
Quotes by James G. Frazer
James G. Frazer's insights on:
This doctrine of transmigration or reincarnation of the soul is found among many tribes of savages.
The second principle of magic: things which have once been in contact with each other continue to act on each other at a distance after the physical contact has been severed.
By religion, then, I understand a propitiation or conciliation of powers superior to man which are believed to direct and control the course of nature and of human life.
For when a nation becomes civilized, if it does not drop human sacrifices altogether, it at least selects as victims only such wretches as would be put to death at any rate. Thus the killing of a god may sometimes come to be confounded with the execution of a criminal.
The question whether our conscious personality survives after death has been answered by almost all races of men in the affirmative.
The man of science, like the man of letters, is too apt to view mankind only in the abstract, selecting in his consideration only a single side of our complex and many-sided being.
For there are strong grounds for thinking that, in the evolution of thought, magic has preceded religion .
It is a common rule with primitive people not to waken a sleeper, because his soul is away and might not have time to get back.
Small minds cannot grasp great ideas; to their narrow comprehension, their purblind vision, nothing seems really great and important but themselves.