The Moral Imagination Ep. 4: Dr. Gregory Thornbury: Rene Girard and the Mimetic Cycle
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Oct 9, 2019 AI Snips
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Girard's Intellectual Project
- René Girard, a significant thinker in post-WWII continental philosophy, laid new foundations for theoretical thought, particularly in anthropological philosophy.
- He's a polymath, combining critical theory, literary criticism, psychology, philosophy, cultural history, theology, economics, and sociology.
Mimetic Desire and Conflict
- Girard's theory of mimetic desire posits that humans don't desire things intrinsically, but rather because others desire them.
- This mimetic desire, or imitation, creates rivalry and conflict due to scarcity, leading to violence.
Archaic Religion and Sacrifice
- Girard argues that archaic religions are based on ritualized sacrifice to resolve the conflict born from mimetic desire.
- This "victimage motif" involves placing the community's sin onto a victim, often through blood sacrifice.