Introduction
1: The meanings of superstition
2: Religious superstition
3: Secular superstition
4: Superstition today
5: Why do people believe?
6: The future of superstition
Further reading
Index
Stuart Vyse is a behavioral scientist, teacher, and writer. He
holds PhD and MA degrees in psychology and BA and MA degrees in
English Literature. He taught at Providence College, the University
of Rhode Island, and Connecticut College, where he was Joanne Toor
Cummings '50 Professor. Vyse has written two books: Believing in
Magic: The Psychology of Superstition (OUP, 1997), which won the
1999 William James Book Award of the American Psychological
Association, and Going Broke: Why Americans Can't Hold on to Their
Money, an analysis of the current epidemic of personal debt, the
second edition of which (Going Broke: Why Americans (Still) Can't
Hold on to Their
Money) is due to publish in 2018. He has written dozens of personal
essays, most of which have appeared as op-eds in various newspapers
and online publications, and he is a Fellow of the Committee for
Skeptical Inquiry.
Stimulating and informative.
*Alexander Faludy, Church Times*
This succinct summary of the history of and psychology behind
superstition is so superb that I am adopting it for my college
course on critical thinking and recommend it be required reading
for all social science students. Stuart Vyse is such a marvelous
writer and clear thinker, in fact, that this book should be
required reading for all humans susceptible to superstitions, which
is to say all of humanity.
*Michael Shermer, Publisher, Skeptic magazine*
Stuart Vyse has packed a lot into this little book, including a
comprehensive discussion of the way in which the concept of
superstition has changed across the ages, the psychology of
superstition, and the implications of superstitious thinking for
the modern world - all presented in an engaging and informative
style. Highly recommended!
*Professor Chris French, Goldsmiths, University of London*
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