A General Theory of Magic

E684994

anthropological work book

A General Theory of Magic is a foundational anthropological work by Marcel Mauss that analyzes the social and cultural functions of magical beliefs and practices.

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All labels observed (3)

Label	Occurrences
A General Theory of Magic canonical	1
Esquisse d’une théorie générale de la magie	1
Une théorie générale de la magie	1

How this entity was disambiguated

This entity first appeared as the object of triple T7734487 — resolving that mention is where its identity was fixed. The disambiguator weighed these candidate entities and picked the highlighted one (or “None”, minting a new entity). This is how homonymy is resolved: the same surface form can point to different entities.

NED1 Entity disambiguation (via context triple) gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07

Target entity: A General Theory of Magic
Context triple: [Marcel Mauss, notableWork, A General Theory of Magic]

A. Metamagical Themas
Metamagical Themas is a collection of Douglas Hofstadter’s essays exploring themes in mathematics, computer science, cognition, and self-reference, many originally published in his Scientific American column.
B. Magick in Theory and Practice
Magick in Theory and Practice is Aleister Crowley’s influential occult manual that systematically outlines his philosophy and methods of ceremonial magic within the Thelemic tradition.
C. On Divination
On Divination is a lost philosophical treatise by the Stoic thinker Panaetius of Rhodes, in which he critically examined and questioned traditional beliefs about prophetic practices and the possibility of foreknowledge.
D. Good Magic
Good Magic is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the 2018 Haskell Invitational.
E. The Magic
The Magic is a self-help book by Rhonda Byrne that expands on the themes of The Secret by focusing on the transformative power of gratitude.
F. None of above. chosen
G. Unsure - the case is ambiguous/there is not enough information to decide.

NED2 Entity disambiguation (via description) gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07

Target entity: A General Theory of Magic
Target entity description: A General Theory of Magic is a foundational anthropological work by Marcel Mauss that analyzes the social and cultural functions of magical beliefs and practices.

A. Metamagical Themas
Metamagical Themas is a collection of Douglas Hofstadter’s essays exploring themes in mathematics, computer science, cognition, and self-reference, many originally published in his Scientific American column.
B. Magick in Theory and Practice
Magick in Theory and Practice is Aleister Crowley’s influential occult manual that systematically outlines his philosophy and methods of ceremonial magic within the Thelemic tradition.
C. On Divination
On Divination is a lost philosophical treatise by the Stoic thinker Panaetius of Rhodes, in which he critically examined and questioned traditional beliefs about prophetic practices and the possibility of foreknowledge.
D. Good Magic
Good Magic is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the 2018 Haskell Invitational.
E. The Magic
The Magic is a self-help book by Rhonda Byrne that expands on the themes of The Secret by focusing on the transformative power of gratitude.
F. None of above. chosen

Statements (47)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	anthropological work ⓘ book ⓘ
academicDiscipline	social sciences ⓘ
analyzes	cultural functions of magical practices ⓘ social functions of magical beliefs ⓘ
author	Marcel Mauss ⓘ
contribution	helped establish the anthropological study of magic ⓘ
countryOfOrigin	France ⓘ
describes	beliefs underlying magical practices ⓘ rules and classifications of magical rites ⓘ
examines	collective representations of magic ⓘ magicians as social actors ⓘ relationship between magic and law ⓘ relationship between magic and morality ⓘ
field	anthropology ⓘ sociology ⓘ
genre	non-fiction ⓘ social anthropology literature ⓘ
hasPerspective	comparative ⓘ historical ⓘ sociological ⓘ
influenced	later anthropological theories of religion ⓘ structuralist anthropology ⓘ the study of ritual ⓘ
influencedBy	Émile Durkheim ⓘ
languageOfAvailableTranslation	English ⓘ
mainSubject	belief systems ⓘ magic ⓘ religion ⓘ ritual ⓘ
notableIdea	distinction between magic and religion ⓘ magic as a social institution ⓘ
originalLanguage	French ⓘ
originalTitle	Une théorie générale de la magie ⓘ linked to: A General Theory of Magic
publicationDate	early 20th century ⓘ
relatedConcept	collective representations ⓘ
relatedWork	The Gift ⓘ
status	classic of social theory ⓘ foundational text in anthropology of religion ⓘ
targetAudience	anthropologists ⓘ scholars of religion ⓘ sociologists ⓘ
theoreticalApproach	Durkheimian sociology ⓘ
topic	collective belief ⓘ social cohesion ⓘ symbolic systems ⓘ
typeOfWork	theoretical treatise ⓘ

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Marcel Mauss → notableWork → A General Theory of Magic ⓘ

A General Theory of Magic → originalTitle → Une théorie générale de la magie ⓘ

linked to: A General Theory of Magic

Henri Hubert → notableWork → Esquisse d’une théorie générale de la magie ⓘ