A atualidade do mito
Simbólica - Revista de Filosofia da Cultura e Estudos Interdisciplinares March 30, 2026 DOI: 10.53000/simbolica.v1i00.5451 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that Cassirer's theory presents myth as a fundamental mode of consciousness, not a deficient precursor to rational thought, and that mythic thinking persists as relevant even in a science-dominated modern world. |
Abstract
This article examines Ernst Cassirer’s theory of myth within the framework of his *Philosophy of Symbolic Forms*. For Cassirer, myth does not merely denote narratives regarding the origins of gods and heroes; rather, it represents a characteristic attitude of consciousness directed toward the real world—dominated by physiognomic perception and emotion—in which there is no reflective distance between sign and object. Understood as the "mother-soil of culture," myth is the foundational element of every symbolic form (language, religion, art, science), from which these forms only gradually detach themselves. Mythic thought possesses a genuine form of its own, structured by the unity of feeling, and should not be reduced to a deficient mode of understanding. Furthermore, the article discusses the enduring relevance of mythic thought, noting that it retains its place and significance even in the modern world, which is shaped by science.