ABSTRACT
The notion of “symbolism” is gaining importance in modern anthropology, philosophy, and other fields. The conception of symbol was neglected or suppressed in Anglo-Saxon philosophy, psychology, and general anthropology. The predominant neopositivistic school regarded symbolism only in one respect, namely, the discursive symbolism of language, logic and mathematics. Positivistic philosophy of science made a monopolistic claim and hence led to the disregard of all other aspects of symbolism and its basic role in human culture. The conception of symbol was neglected or suppressed in Anglo-Saxon philosophy, psychology, and general anthropology. Science modelled after the paragon of physics appeared as the only legitimate mode of cognition, excluding wide realms of human culture from the philosophical system. The “one-to-many correspondence” characteristically distinguishes “symbols” from “signals” of conditioned reaction. Mythical and magical symbolism often puts primitive society into a straightjacket of actions resembling those of conditioning or of obsessive neurosis and obstructing change and progress.
