RST 1502
PORTIFOLIO
2022
, Critically discuss Edward Tylor and James Frazer’s theories of religion. Your
critical discussion should focus on the process of triple-mediation by which they
created their general theories of religion
Tylor contrasted animism with the materialism of the modern world in which he
lived. In his theory, all religions were due to a mental confusion of dreams with
reality. The only meaningful distinction to be made in the study of religion was
between animism and materialism. In Tylor’s view, animism, as the defining
essence of religion, was not real, whereas scientific materialism was real. In this
essay we will consider the triple mediation process in knowledge production with
reference to Tylor’s work. The triple mediation process involves three agents. Firstly,
there is the imperial, “armchair” theorist working from his office somewhere in
Europe, or the “civilised” western world. Secondly, there is the colonial middleman,
such as a missionary or colonial administrator working somewhere in a colony,
such as South Africa, who produces knowledge that is used by the imperial
scholar. Thirdly, this colonial middleman collects his data from indigenous informants,
who grew up in the colonial territory and therefore could provide valuable information
about indigenous culture and beliefs.
The knowledge produced in this way is often highly suspect, since there are
numerous ways in which information can be distorted. For example, many of the
so-called indigenous informants were Christian converts who were influenced by
missionaries to be biased against the traditional religions about which they
reported. Secondly, since many of the colonial middlemen were Christian
missionaries, they themselves often distorted information about indigenous
traditions due to their Christian bias. And finally, imperial theorists routinely interpreted
PORTIFOLIO
2022
, Critically discuss Edward Tylor and James Frazer’s theories of religion. Your
critical discussion should focus on the process of triple-mediation by which they
created their general theories of religion
Tylor contrasted animism with the materialism of the modern world in which he
lived. In his theory, all religions were due to a mental confusion of dreams with
reality. The only meaningful distinction to be made in the study of religion was
between animism and materialism. In Tylor’s view, animism, as the defining
essence of religion, was not real, whereas scientific materialism was real. In this
essay we will consider the triple mediation process in knowledge production with
reference to Tylor’s work. The triple mediation process involves three agents. Firstly,
there is the imperial, “armchair” theorist working from his office somewhere in
Europe, or the “civilised” western world. Secondly, there is the colonial middleman,
such as a missionary or colonial administrator working somewhere in a colony,
such as South Africa, who produces knowledge that is used by the imperial
scholar. Thirdly, this colonial middleman collects his data from indigenous informants,
who grew up in the colonial territory and therefore could provide valuable information
about indigenous culture and beliefs.
The knowledge produced in this way is often highly suspect, since there are
numerous ways in which information can be distorted. For example, many of the
so-called indigenous informants were Christian converts who were influenced by
missionaries to be biased against the traditional religions about which they
reported. Secondly, since many of the colonial middlemen were Christian
missionaries, they themselves often distorted information about indigenous
traditions due to their Christian bias. And finally, imperial theorists routinely interpreted
