Mythology help?

Question

why do we study mythology?? i know that they help explain the world and the beliefs of society. anything else?? And also why would we study mythology? to help us get a better understanding of the world? is any of this rihgt?? what else can i say

ohh and why is mythology written? to help explain the world better?

i guess that there is no "true answer" but any ideas?

Answer 1

We study mythology to not only understand the past and what they believed but also as enjoyment, as an example i like to read old mythology as a way to past time. see mythology was created as a way to answer all the questions we had in the world. what we see as mythology was science back then. from mythology religion, stories, and science was formed.

Answer 2

Mythology is the attempt to create a single coherent canonic narrative out of the religion1 and myths of a certain culture.

Mythology can only be created by societies that have reached a certain level of development and that are beginning to establish a sense of national or religious distinction from other societies, that is beyond the question of political boundaries2.

1 Modern research defines religion (and thus distinguishes it from myth and mythology) as the practices of worship and faith existing in a certain culture. Myth (and consequently Mythology) set the background and excuses for religion. This way the Communion of the Catholic Church is religious, as are the Mass, Confessions and Holidays, whereas the Biblical text is Mythological. Religious practices quite often predate their mythic (and certainly mythological) reasoning.

2 this way the Greeks could create a mythology, even though they were seperated into hundreds of small political units, as could the Jews despite having no intependent political unit of their own for the majority of period of their shaping their mythology (aka the bible).

Answer 3

We study mythology because it is a cornerstone to the development of our society. Little things we do are directly derived from mythological sources.
As for the writing of mythology. Our mythology was someone else's religion. Perhaps it was philosophy, perhaps to explain the world or perhaps it is real and the religions of today are wrong. Why is any religion created?

Answer 4

There is a scientific answer to your question. Read the book by Julian Jaynes "The Origins of Consciousness In the Break Down of the Bicameral Mind". Our brains used to have 2 separate hemispheres that were not connected. It made us believe that we heard Gods, Angels. As we have evolved, the two sides have become more "wired" together. Pretty soon we understand that what we thought we heard as God's was actually our own consciousness. This is a very simple explanation, but someone has actually looked at the science behind it. Read the book, it is pretty interesting.

Answer 5

Myth's are supposed to be based on legends which are supposed to be based on truth, so a myth is a legend but with a few added details. It's like when you say I caught a fish ( THIS BIG!!!!!!!!!!!) and it's really (this big). As to why we study it I have no Idea but it's cool! If you wanna study a pimp little creature check out a Tangu, it's a Japanese monster (not really a monster), that plays pranks on kids and Buddhist. Very mischevious little critters!
Also it's easy to study and a great and quick way to get an A+ in class.

Answer 6

Take Greek mythology: at the time, it was not mythology, but their religious belief.

It gives us a better understanding of their world,of their scheme of reference and quite often a better understanding of human nature.

Mithology is fairy-tales for grown-up

It is also very interesting to read!

Answer 7

Mythology gives us an insight into how our contemporary religions are shaped, and, their mythic structures are built on those of the ancients.

Answer 8

Mythology is just what you call the other guy's religion, theology, and beliefs.

Answer 9

Inorder to answer the questions that cannot be answered scientifically......