Wicca and Satanism are two distinct religious practices that often get misunderstood and confused. While both involve the worship of pagan deities and have gained popularity over the years, there are significant differences between the two. Wicca is a modern-day, neo-pagan religion that is centered around the worship of nature and the belief in a divine feminine and divine masculine force. It promotes harmony with the Earth and emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility and ethical decision-making. Wiccans adhere to the Wiccan Rede, which advises them to "harm none" and to take responsibility for their actions, as they believe in the concept of karma or the Threefold Law. On the other hand, Satanism is often associated with evil and devil worship.
On the other hand, Satanism is often associated with evil and devil worship. However, this is a misperception due to the influence of popular culture and religious biases. Satanism, specifically LaVeyan Satanism, is a non-theistic, religious philosophy that promotes individualism, self-indulgence, and indulging in one's desires without causing harm to others.
Do magic tricks work on monkeys? Only if they have opposable thumbs like us.
Psychologists tested how different species of monkey reacted to the famed French drop.
By Laura Baisas | Published Apr 4, 2023 11:00 AM EDT
Similar anatomy, not a shared sense of humor, might be key for experiencing deception from a pretty common magic trick. In a new study, a team of psychologists tested a sleight-of-hand trick called the French drop on three species of monkeys with different hand structures. In this trick, an object appears to vanish when a spectator assumes it is taken from one hand by the hidden thumb of the other hand.
The monkeys without opposable thumbs did not fall for the assumption and were aware of the whereabouts of the treats a magician tried to “make disappear.” But, the monkeys with opposable thumbs were duped. The findings were published April 4 in the journal Current Biology.
From the results, it appears that in order to deceive, a conjuror needs a similar anatomy to their audience. Sharing a particular biomechanical ability may be necessary to accurately anticipate and predict the movements of another with the same limbs. This phenomenon turns out to be true even when the apparently accurate predictions end in confusion at the hands of an illusionist.
“Magicians use intricate techniques to mislead the observer into experiencing the impossible. It is a great way to study blind spots in attention and perception,” study author Elias Garcia-Pelegrin said in a statement. “By investigating how species of primates experience magic, we can understand more about the evolutionary roots of cognitive shortcomings that leave us exposed to the cunning of magicians.”
Garcia-Pelegrin, now a psychology professor at the National University of Singapore, has practiced magic for a decade and conducted these experiments during his PhD work at Cambridge University.
The French drop is often one of the first tricks budding magicians set out to master. In the trick, a coin is displayed in one hand. The other hand then reaches over and grabs the coin. The palm of the second hand faces inwards, with the magician’s thumb concealed behind fingers. The viewer knows the thumb is lurking and ready to grip, so they assume the coin has been taken when it is no longer visible. Their attention then follows the second hand, only to find it empty. Meanwhile, the magician had secretly dropped the coin into the palm of the original hand.
In this study with monkeys, morsels of food replaced coins and the treats were given as a reward– but only if the monkey guessed the correct hand. Going into the experiment, the team predicted that monkeys with opposable thumbs would act like human audiences and assume that the hidden thumb had grabbed the treat, and then select the incorrect hand.
The team repeatedly performed the French drop for 24 monkeys from three species– capuchins, squirrel monkeys, and marmosets.
The eight capuchin monkeys were tested using peanuts. This species boasts noteable dexterity and uses stone tools to crack open nuts in the wild. Capuchins can also waggle each finger and have opposable thumbs which allow “precision grip” between thumb and forefingers. They were fooled by the French drop about 81 percent of the time, mostly choosing the empty second hand.
While less dexterous than their capuchin counterparts, squirrel monkeys have limited thumb rotation, but can oppose their thumbs. They are typically familiar with a hidden thumb interacting with fingers, but they cannot cannot perform a precision grip the way capuchins and humans do. The squirrel monkeys were tested with mealworms and were fooled 93 percent of the time.
Marmosets do not have opposable thumbs and have thumbs that align with their fingers to make five equidistant digits. These are ideal for climbing up thick tree trunks. They were fooled only 6 percent of the time. They chose the hand that initially held a tasty marshmallow was initially placed and stuck with it for this experiment.
A capuchin monkey is tested with a fake French drop – so the treat is actually transferred from hand to hand – as part of the experiment. CREDIT: Elias Garcia-Pelegrin.
The team tried to nullify the tricks by actually completing the hand-to-hand transfers, instead of using misdirection. When this occurred, the capuchins and squirrel monkeys anticipated correctly, while the marmosets missed out on their reward.
As a last step, the team devised their own version of the French drop called the “Power drop”. It utilizes a full fist grab, which is a hand action that all the monkey species could perform to varying degrees. They found that the power drop fooled all of the monkey species the vast majority of the time.
“There is increasing evidence that the same parts of the nervous system used when we perform an action are also activated when we watch that action performed by others,” co-author and Cambridge psychologist Nicola Clayton said in a statement. “This mirroring in our neural motor system might explain why the French drop worked for the capuchins and squirrel monkeys but not for marmosets.”
The team adds that how fingers and thumbs move helps space the way an individual thinks and the assumptions made about the world around us.
“Our work raises the intriguing possibility that an individual’s inherent physical capability heavily influences their perception, their memory of what they think they saw, and their ability to predict manual movements of those around them,” said Clayton.
Laura is a science news writer, covering a wide variety of subjects, but she is particularly fascinated by all things aquatic, paleontology, nanotechnology, and exploring how science influences daily life. Laura is a proud former resident of the New Jersey shore, a competitive swimmer, and a fierce defender of the Oxford comma.
A researcher at Cambridge University at the time of the study, Garcia-Pelegrin and a team of his colleagues tested 24 monkeys representing three species, performing the French drop for the adorable audience. First they showed their primate audience a favored treat. They then either pretended to transfer the treat in a French drop, or actually transferred it to the other hand.
Satanism rejects the notion of the Devil as a literal entity and instead focuses on the symbol as a representation of personal freedom and challenging societal norms. The key difference between Wicca and Satanism lies in their core beliefs and moral values. While Wicca focuses on love, harmony, and reverence for nature, Satanism emphasizes individualism, personal gratification, and questioning authority. Wiccans strive to live in harmony with nature and view their religious practices as a way to connect with the divine, while Satanists embrace their own individuality and prioritize self-fulfillment. It is essential to note that Wiccans and Satanists have faced persecution and misunderstanding due to misconceptions about their beliefs. Both religions have been stigmatized and portrayed negatively in popular culture, leading to further confusion and misinformation. It is crucial to engage in respectful dialogue and educate oneself to break the stereotypes and misunderstandings surrounding these religions. In conclusion, Wicca and Satanism are distinct religious practices with their own unique beliefs and values. Wicca emphasizes harmony with nature, ethical decision-making, and personal responsibility, whereas Satanism focuses on individualism, personal gratification, and challenging societal norms. Despite misconceptions and stereotypes, it is important to approach these religions with an open mind and respect for diversity of beliefs..
Reviews for "Wicca, Satanism, and Humanism: A Comparative Look at Worldviews"
1. John Doe - 1 star
I found "The comparison of Wicca and Satanism" to be highly offensive and misleading. The author seemed to have a biased perspective and mostly focused on negative aspects of both religions. It felt like a deliberate attempt to vilify these faiths without providing any balanced or accurate information. As someone who practices Wicca, I was disappointed by the lack of respect and understanding presented in this comparison.
2. Jane Smith - 2 stars
While the topic of comparing Wicca and Satanism intrigued me, this article failed to deliver any substantial information. The writing was shallow and lacked depth, only scratching the surface of both religions. There was a missed opportunity to explore the historical, philosophical, and cultural aspects of Wicca and Satanism. Overall, it felt like a rushed and oversimplified piece that did not do justice to the complexities of these belief systems.
3. Sarah Thompson - 1 star
As someone who is knowledgeable about both Wicca and Satanism, I found this comparison to be grossly inaccurate and disrespectful. The author clearly did not conduct proper research or seek input from practitioners of these faiths. It seemed more like an attempt to perpetuate stereotypes and fuel misconceptions rather than providing an unbiased analysis. I do not recommend this article to anyone seeking genuine information on Wicca or Satanism.
4. Mark Wilson - 2 stars
"The comparison of Wicca and Satanism" left me feeling perplexed and dissatisfied. The article lacked coherence and structure, making it difficult to follow the author's train of thought. The information presented was scattered and filled with sweeping generalizations, ignoring the diversity within both Wiccan and Satanic communities. I was hoping for a well-researched and insightful comparison, but instead, I found myself struggling to make sense of the jumbled content.
5. Emily Davis - 1 star
This comparison of Wicca and Satanism seemed more like a sensationalized attempt to grab attention rather than an informative piece. The author's tone was overly judgmental and biased, perpetuating stereotypes and misconceptions about both religions. It was disheartening to read such a poorly researched and poorly executed article. I expected better from an analysis that claims to compare two diverse belief systems.