{"product_id":"superstition-a-very-short-introduction-9780198819257","title":"Superstition: A Very Short Introduction","description":"Do you touch wood for luck, or avoid hotel rooms on floor thirteen? Would you cross the path of a black cat, or step under a ladder? Is breaking a mirror just an expensive waste of glass, or something rather more sinister? Despite the dominance of science in today's world, superstitious beliefs - both traditional and new - remain surprisingly popular. A recent survey of adults in the United States found that 33 percent believed that finding a penny was good luck, and 23 percent believed that the number seven was lucky. Where did these superstitions come from, and why do they persist today? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThis \u003cem\u003eVery Short Introduction\u003c\/em\u003e explores the nature and surprising history of superstition from antiquity to the present. For two millennia, superstition was a label derisively applied to foreign religions and unacceptable religious practices, and its primary purpose was used to separate groups and assert religious and social authority. After the Enlightenment, the superstition label was still used to define groups, but the new dividing line was between reason and unreason. Today, despite our apparent sophistication and technological advances, superstitious belief and behaviour remain widespread, and highly educated people are not immune. Stuart Vyse takes an exciting look at the varieties of popular superstitious beliefs today and the psychological reasons behind their continued existence, as well as the likely future course of superstition in our increasingly connected world. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eABOUT THE SERIES: The \u003cem\u003eVery Short Introductions\u003c\/em\u003e series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Stuart Vyse\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Oxford University Press, USA\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/02\/2020\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSeries:\u003c\/b\u003e Very Short Introductions\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 176\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.25lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 6.80h x 4.30w x 0.40d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780198819257","brand":"Oxford University Press, USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42714090078345,"sku":"9780198819257","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0636\/9240\/6921\/files\/img_579f9bd6-f787-45f6-9ea1-b3d8b4aad0ac.jpg?v=1719634326","url":"https:\/\/sonsanddaughtersbooks.com\/products\/superstition-a-very-short-introduction-9780198819257","provider":"Sons and Daughters Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}