overemphasis on magic

[thompson at handel.jlc.net]

I agree with Lars Goehler about the value of Tambiah's use of speech act
theory to interpret magic: it is surely a fruitful approach. But in the
passage quoted Tambiah himself acknowledges that the approach "has still to
be completed and
exhausted."

I myself am very interested in speech act theory, particularly when we are
dealing *specifically* with speech acts.  Often the theory is used rather
vaguely to deal with such "theoretical" constructs as "ritual" or "magic"
or "mantras" [as J. Houben has already suggested; I must add that I am
somewhat sympathetic with Staal's critique of the use of speech act theory
in this way].  As a Vedicist, and as a member of this list, I feel obliged
to stay Indological. Bourdieu will surely be useful to us as we come to
terms with cultural studies in general [which we should].  The few passages
that I have come across where he discusses magic [e.g., "the quasi-magical
potency of the signature," "symbolic energy," "social alchemy," etc. are
all *very* suggestive].  I am very grateful to Goehler for the reference to
"Ce que parler veut dire", which I have not yet seen [but will].  But
perhaps I can turn attention to just one Vedic speech act, in order to see
how the theory of speech acts might be of direct use to Vedicists.

Take a term like satyakriyA, actually unattested in Skt [cf. Pali
saccakiriyA].  It refers to a speech act that is embedded in "a field of
cultural practice" in Vedic that, I think, requires the discussion of magic
[pace Brown's (in my opinion) anachronistic ethical view].  The practice
presupposes a belief that by the very utterance of a given truth [typically
involving self-assertion] the agent can accomplish very remarkable things,
like the reversal of the flow of the Ganges, the revival of a dying son,
or, in a Vedic context, the establishment of personal authority [charisma]
by a would-be Brahmin [kaví, R'Si, etc.].  Here, Bourdieu's use of such
concepts as competition and production, symbolic power, etc., would seem to
be highly relevant.

As I have argued in a forthcoming paper, the satyakriyA is clearly a
performative utterance, and in the strictest sense of the term: by the mere
utterance of certain words ["truth"] the agent accomplishes something.  But
this observation is rather trivial by itself.  The form -kriyA already
tells us that this utterance is an act, i.e., a speech act [I have also
talked about the verb kR-, which frequently has the sense "perform a
(speech) act, i.e., to utter"].  The more important question, to my
knowledge never discussed by an Indologist, is: *what kind* of performative
is the satyakriyA?

Well, I have considered this from a number of points of view, and in the
end I have resorted to Searle's taxonomy of the speech act [illocutionary
force, etc.].  I have tried to distinguish the satyakriyA from such closely
related speech acts as the confession, the vow, the promise, the curse, the
boast, etc., all of which exhibit features that Austin & Searle would
consider "performative." But, again, this observation by itself is not very
informative [in the end *everything* is performative for Austin!].

In a nutshell [i.e., in one screen], I have resorted to the term "magical
performative" which I have developed in light of Searle's *very* brief &
undeveloped discussion of "supernatural declarations" [see Searle's
"Expression & Meaning: Studies in the Theory of Speech Acts", 1979: p.18].
His sole example of such a declaration is the "Fiat Lux" of Genesis,
whereby that most authoritative figure ["voice"] in the Judaio-Christion
world-order accomplishes a very great thing indeed by the mere assertion of
a few words.  In my view, it is very illuminating to consider the
satyakriyA in this context, and that is what I have attempted do to in my
article.

I firmly believe [very performative! "verdictive"? "assertive"?] that the
application of speech act theory in general [not just the Austin-Searle
variety] can be very helpful to Indologists, as we try to come to terms
with our texts.

Sincerely,
George Thompson