Toward a theory of myth. (13th August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mills, Jon
• Is Part Of: Journal for the theory of social behaviour. Volume 50:Number 4(2020)
• Page Start: 410
• Page End: 424
• Publication Date: 2020-08-13
• Subjects: discourse -- essence -- explanation -- interpretation -- myth -- theory of myth -- theory of theory; Psychology -- Periodicals; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Social psychology -- Periodicals; 301.105
• DOI: 10.1111/jtsb.12249
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-8308

Abstract

Abstract: Why do we need a theory of myth? Because no systematic theory exists, let alone a consensus. What I am particularly interested in addressing are not specific theories of myth, or specific myths themselves, but rather what constitutes a good theory. In particular, throughout our investigation I hope to illuminate what a proper theory of myth would be expected to offer in terms of its descriptive and explanatory power, coherency, generality, meaningfulness, and functional utility. Here I offer a theoretic typology of myth by exploring the origin, signification, symbolic structure, and essence of myth in terms of its source, force, form, object, and teleology derived from archaic ontology. Through my analysis of an explanandum and an explanans, I argue that both interpretation and explanation are acts of explication that signify the ontological significance, truth, and psychic reality of myth in both individuals and social collectives.