A comment about myths was raised elsewhere, but any discussion of the matter needs clarification first, so this is my particular bias on the understanding of said terms.
The term 'myth' derives from the Homeric Greek μῦθος (mythos) meaning "speech, word or discourse" – essentially a narrative.
In later classical Hellenism, the term came to mean any fictional narrative encompassing legends, fables and allegorical tales.
In a religious and philosophical context the term was deployed critically to describe speculative or even false narratives – in the religious sphere often contrasted with divine revelation. Texts such as 1 Timothy 1:4, 2 Timothy 4:4 and 2 Peter 1:16 refer to "myths" or "silly fables" that distract from the true faith.
The philosophical giant Paul Ricoeur (hermeneutics and phenomenology) had much to say about narrative theory –
He defines Myth as Symbolic Narrative that speaks of the human condition. He sees myths like the biblical Fall or Greek tragedy as powerful expressions of human reality that cannot be reduced to literal or scientific explanations.
The Threefold Function of Myth serves to:
1] provide a unified history that gives orientation;
2] narrate a movement from beginning to end, creating meaning and tension in life;
3] confront the enigma of human existence.
Ricoeur distinguishes between myth’s false rationality – its literal, cosmological claims, and its symbolic function – its existential truth and purpose.
He supports demythologisation as only valid whehn it serves as a creative act, a critical reinterpretation that recovers its deeper, existential meaning carried under an out-dated framework – he calls this process "saving the myth".
The recurrence of myth across cultures points to their universal potential. They transcend specific communities, offering insights across cultures. This "wisdom dimension" of myth allows it to function as bearers of possible worlds, enabling imagination and ethical reflection.
Ricoeur spoke of Myth and the Hermeneutic Circle, interpreting myth in a hermeneutic process where critique (destruction) and interpretation (reconstruction) are inseparable. This process frees the essential myth from its cultural vehicle so it can speak anew to modern consciousness, he calls this "recollection of meaning".
Myth and Symbol: Myth is deeply tied to symbolism. Symbols do not simply represent something else (as in allegory), but transform lived experience.
The term 'myth' derives from the Homeric Greek μῦθος (mythos) meaning "speech, word or discourse" – essentially a narrative.
In later classical Hellenism, the term came to mean any fictional narrative encompassing legends, fables and allegorical tales.
In a religious and philosophical context the term was deployed critically to describe speculative or even false narratives – in the religious sphere often contrasted with divine revelation. Texts such as 1 Timothy 1:4, 2 Timothy 4:4 and 2 Peter 1:16 refer to "myths" or "silly fables" that distract from the true faith.
The philosophical giant Paul Ricoeur (hermeneutics and phenomenology) had much to say about narrative theory –
He defines Myth as Symbolic Narrative that speaks of the human condition. He sees myths like the biblical Fall or Greek tragedy as powerful expressions of human reality that cannot be reduced to literal or scientific explanations.
The Threefold Function of Myth serves to:
1] provide a unified history that gives orientation;
2] narrate a movement from beginning to end, creating meaning and tension in life;
3] confront the enigma of human existence.
Ricoeur distinguishes between myth’s false rationality – its literal, cosmological claims, and its symbolic function – its existential truth and purpose.
He supports demythologisation as only valid whehn it serves as a creative act, a critical reinterpretation that recovers its deeper, existential meaning carried under an out-dated framework – he calls this process "saving the myth".
The recurrence of myth across cultures points to their universal potential. They transcend specific communities, offering insights across cultures. This "wisdom dimension" of myth allows it to function as bearers of possible worlds, enabling imagination and ethical reflection.
Ricoeur spoke of Myth and the Hermeneutic Circle, interpreting myth in a hermeneutic process where critique (destruction) and interpretation (reconstruction) are inseparable. This process frees the essential myth from its cultural vehicle so it can speak anew to modern consciousness, he calls this "recollection of meaning".
Myth and Symbol: Myth is deeply tied to symbolism. Symbols do not simply represent something else (as in allegory), but transform lived experience.
I've never had anybody try to explain it.