The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception and Language in a More-Than-Human World

Explore how Abram’s examination of the “flesh of language” challenges conventional understandings of human communication by emphasizing the embodied, material basis of language rooted in sensory experience. Investigate how this perspective contrasts with abstract, disembodied conceptions of language that dominate Western thought. How does Abram’s examination suggest a path toward ecological awareness?

Analyze how Abram redefines animism, not as an outdated belief system but as a foundational aspect of human perception and engagement with the world. Discuss how this redefinition challenges modern ecological and philosophical discussions by proposing that animism reflects a universal, if often unrecognized, mode of human experience. How might this perspective enrich or detract from an understanding of humans’ relationship with nature?

Explore the role of magic in Abram’s understanding of human perception and interaction with the natural world. How does he redefine magic to integrate it into an ecological and philosophical framework? How does this challenge or differ from mainstream understandings of magic?