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An Anthropological Guide to the Art and Philosophy of Mirror Gazing
An Anthropological Guide to the Art and Philosophy of Mirror Gazing
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Description
Looking at one's face in the mirror and finding one's self in the mirror are not the same. The former capacity is something we share with other animals; the latter is a skill: something we have to learn. What does it mean and what does it take to find oneself the mirror?
This book provides a comparative anthropological enquiry into the unity and diversity of mirror gazing. The reader is encouraged to reflect upon and experiment with different mirror gazes through a range of case studies. Koukouti and Malafouris weave together anthropology with philosophy and draw on examples from literature and experiments from psychopathology in a way that has never been attempted before.
The master metaphor is that of the mirror as trap. Mirror gazing is viewed on a par with hunting. Mirroring signifies the hunt for self-knowledge. In a time obsessed with the digital self-image, Koukouti and Malafouris reflect on the structures of consciousness that underpin the different ways of looking at and through the mirror. Combining metaphor, comparison and estrangement, they gesture towards a therapeutic alliance between body and mirroring. This allows us to look in the mirror, and think of our shared humanity differently.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: About Mirroring: An Introduction
PART I: Dis-enchantment
Chapter 2: The Image Thief
Chapter 3: Beautiful Scars
PART II: Re-enchantment
Chapter 4: Looking Through the Looking-Glass
Chapter 5: The Other in the Mirror
Chapter 6: The Gaze of the Shaman
PART III Hunters and Prey
Chapter 7: The Mirror Trap
Chapter 8: How to Look in The Mirror
Epilogue
Bibliography
Index
Product details

Published | Mar 24 2022 |
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Format | Paperback |
Edition | 1st |
Extent | 200 |
ISBN | 9781350202634 |
Imprint | Bloomsbury Academic |
Illustrations | 33 bw illus |
Dimensions | 234 x 156 mm |
Series | Thinking in the World |
Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
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