Rules Without Meaning: Ritual, Mantras and the Human Sciences

by Frits Staal

Book Overview

Rules Without Meaning is an original study of ritual and mantras which shows that rites lead a life of their own, unaffected by religion or society. In its analysis of Vedic ritual, it uses methods inspired by logic, linguistics, anthropology and Asian studies. New insights are offered into various topics including music, bird song and the origin of language. The discussion culminates in a proposal for a new human science that challenges the...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0820405531
• ISBN13: 9780820405537
• Release Date: September 1989
• Publisher: Peter Lang Inc., International Academic Publi
• Length: 492 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.