THERE is a general impression that the explanations
of natural phenomena, including human destinies,
to which the term superstitious is given are usually
attributable to the vestiges of traditional cosmogonies
of our tribal ancestors handed down to children at
the knees of their parents or guardians. This explanation
however, is only true of a portion of the beliefs which we
call superstitions. The demand for superstitious explanations
depends upon psychophysiological tendencies of the
human organism, the root of which is comprised in the affect
which we call craving. This theorem I have tried to develop
as follows:—
