Cows, Pigs, Wars, and Witches: The Riddles of Culture

One of America's leading anthropolgists offers solutions to the perplexing question of why people behave the way they do.Why do Hindus worship cows? Why do Jews and Moslems refuse to eat pork? Why did so many people in post-medieval Europe believe in witches?Marvin Harris answers these and other perplexing questions about human behavior, showing that no matter how bizarre a people's behavior may seem, it always stems from identifiable and intelligble sources. This Book Challenges Those Who Argue That We Can Change The World By Changing The Way People Think. The Author Shows That No Matter How Bizarre A People's Behavior May Seem, It Always Stems From Concrete Social And Economic Conditions. It Is By Isolating And Identifying These Conditions That We Will Be Able To Understand And Cope With Some Of Our Own Apparently Senseless Life Styles. In A Devastating Attack On The Shamans Of The Counterculture, The Author States The Case For A Return To Objective Consciousness And A Rational Set Of Political Commitments. Mother Cow -- Pig Lovers And Pig Haters -- Primitive War -- The Savage Male -- Potlatch -- Phantom Cargo -- Messiahs -- The Secret Of The Prince Of Peace -- Broomsticks And Sabbats -- The Great Witch Craze -- Return Of The Witch. Includes Bibliographical References. Cover......Page 1 Preface......Page 4 Contents......Page 8 Prologue......Page 9 Mother Cow......Page 15 Pig Lovers and Pig Haters......Page 38 Primitive War......Page 61 The Savage Male......Page 82 Potlatch......Page 108 Phantom Cargo......Page 129 Messiahs......Page 150 The Secret of the Prince of Peace......Page 172 Broomsticks and sabbats......Page 198 The Great Witch Craze......Page 214 Return of the Witch......Page 231 Epilogue......Page 248 References......Page 255 back cover......Page 265 Cover 1 Preface 4 Contents 8 Prologue 9 Mother Cow 15 Pig Lovers and Pig Haters 38 Primitive War 61 The Savage Male 82 Potlatch 108 Phantom Cargo 129 Messiahs 150 The Secret of the Prince of Peace 172 Broomsticks and sabbats 198 The Great Witch Craze 214 Return of the Witch 231 Epilogue 248 References 255 back cover 265 CreatedByIRIS_Readiris This book challenges those who argue that we can change the world by changing the way people think. Harris shows that no matter how bizarre a people's behavior may seem, it always stems from concrete social and economic conditions.