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Foundations of Mythology Short Answers Essay How is the word myth used popularly? For example, what does the statement, â€Å"It’s a myth† mean? In contrast, how is the word myth used in the academic context? After considering the definition in your textbooks and course materials, write a definition in your own words. The statement â€Å"It’s a myth† to me means that it is not true or not fully true. There may be some truth but there is some false information added to the story. Myths- the rich rewards awaiting questioners willing to approach myths from numerous points of view are all open-ended fields of inquiry (Leonard and McClure, 2004). Myths are stories that are based on tradition. Some may have factual origins, while others are completely fictional. But myths are more than mere stories and they serve a more profound purpose in ancient and modern cultures (PBS, 2005). Myths have been around for a long time and they are stories and they have been told for a long time. Not all myths are true but there are cases that they do have some truth to them. There are myths that are throughout history and there is good and evil depending on the story that is being told. Why do myths from different cultures around the world address such similar or universal themes? Think about how myths explain the unknown and the tribulations of mankind. Many of the myths are passed down to all the different generations and they will keep going just like they always have. Some of the myths are the same as another but they are in with a different culture behind it because many people believe in different religions or just different beliefs. Myths explain the unknown and things that we do not even now happen at times. The subjects of myths reflect the universal concerns of mankind throughout history: birth, death, and the afterlife, the origin of man and the world, good and evil and the nature of man himself (PBS, 2005). The myths are made by people and they are then passed down for future generations to come so that they have an idea of what happened past years. With the different cultures there are many different religions and that is also a reason why there are so many different versions of the same myth, they are all just worded differently. What is the relationship between belief, knowledge, mythology, and religion? Where do mythology and religion intersect? Where do they diverge? Think about the function of myth and religion in helping human beings cope with change, suffering, loss, and death. A belief is something that we have been told and that we believe in, knowledge would be having the correct information for the truth. Mythology is the study of myths and can be a collection of myths, religion is what people believe in and it can be a collection of beliefs. Mythology and religion intersect because they both have beliefs and they have stories that are followed by Gods, heroes and so on. With the myths and religions it makes people cope with loss and death a little easier, not that either is ever a good thing but with the thought of seeing your loved one again someday when you go to heaven or to know that they are angels looking over us makes bad times such as these a little more bearable. Myths can be fun stories to believe in because of the meaning behind the stories, and learning about certain religions can be very interesting to where more and more people what to learn the differences that exist. How would you defend mythology’s relevance in contemporary culture? Think about familial and cultural traditions. Also, consider how mythology is used in the arts and in advertising to typify human experience. Mythology has had extensive influence on today and many years to come because there are many things that people research and want to know more about. Many people had to tell stories and talk about what they heard or what they were told because they did not have computers, printing and many other things that we have today. Many of the myths are told today that are interesting and still today makes people want to learn more which is exactly what myths are suppose to do, want to learn and believe in certain things. Today there are a lot of books paintings and many other inspirational things that makes everyone want to know what happened, along with all of us making our own myths today to pass down to future generations to come. The human experiences are great because just like a certain group of people that test the myths and find out if they are true or not but the whole time they are testing the myths they have fun doing so, along with teaching many of the myths that they are testing. References Leonard, S., McClure, M. (2004). Myth knowing: An introduction to world mythology. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. (2005). PBS. What is a Myth? Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/mythsandheroes/myths_what.html.