New Approach: Myths as Symbolic Maps of Social-Moral Order: Mesopotamia's Hammurabi Code & Moses Lawgiver-Prophet with Mesopotamian Gods (Shamash, Marduk, Enki, Nabu, Inanna, Enlil, and Anu), Zeus, & Indra, + Elzbieta Halas, "groups exist only on the ground of common symbolization of their members [and] create a social order" & Durkheim's "Social Forces"
Creators: name: E Peck Jr, Charles
Publisher: name: Knowledge Commons
Year: 2025
Subjects: subject: Indian mythology
subject: Greek and Roman mythology
subject: Myths
subject: Mythology
subject: Mythology (Title)
subject: Durkheimian school of sociology
subject: Filipino Americans--Psychology
subject: Filipinos
subject: Christian art and symbolism
subject: Hindu symbolism
subject: Spirituality in art
subject: Spirituality--Psychology
subject: Spirituality in literature
subject: Religious
subject: Humanism, Religious
subject: Consciousness and self-consciousness
subject: Social perception
subject: Philosophy of mind
subject: Philosophy of Science Association
subject: Philosophy
subject: FOS: Philosophy, ethics and religion
subject: Philosophy of mind--History
subject: Social psychology
subject: Social sciences--Social aspects
subject: Social psychology--Philosophy
subject: Social psychology--Methodology
subject: Political science
subject: FOS: Political science
subject: Political science--History
subject: Political science literature
subject: Political science--Philosophy

description: New Approach: Rollo May, an American existential psychologist and author, observes "There has been a radical change during the past three decades… Neither term, "symbol" or "myth," even appears in the index of the standard psychology textbooks." Sociologist Elzbieta Halas had parallel observations on how symbolism had been largely marginalized as an epiphenomenon" The bottom line is that "Myths as Symbolic Maps of Social-Moral Order" is in truth a "New Approach"   Symbolic Maps-Models of Social Consciousness & Social-Moral Order
1. As Confucius, a Chinese philosopher and spiritual leader who lived from 551 to 479 BCE, observed long ago, "Signs and symbols rule the world, not words or laws!" Modern politics and religion have proved Confucius right.  
2. Elzbieta Halas Model of Social Symbolism: Halas states that "More profoundly, groups exist only on the ground of common symbolization of their members."  "The processes of symbolization…create a social order, express meaning and control actions. Symbols are not autonomous. They constitute tools of action, indicating and dramatizing social relations"
3. D. Balaganapath observes: "The basis of every culture and every identity is determined by its own established common symbolic expression."  
4. Ramon Reyes Model: "In sum, one social and moral order encompasses the living, the dead, the deities and the spirits, and the total environment." 
5. Emile Durkheim's model: "The forces before which the believer bows are not simple physical energies, such as are presented to the sense and the imagination; they are social forces," 
5. Erica Hill's Model of arctic hunter gatherer beliefs in animal spirits as human relations with the natural world, "Their thoughts and actions established and maintained relationships with prey animals and may be more productively conceptualized as dynamic social behaviours embedded within the context of daily life than as privileged ritual acts." – and the beliefs focused attention of the community on the activity of hunting-gathering of animals.
6. Ekaterina Botziou Pilalis observes, "Greek mythology teaches about humanity, virtues… the tales of Hercules, King Midas, Jason and the Argonauts, Theseus and the Minotaur have very clear depictions of who is good and who is evil.  Emotions like jealousy and anger,.. are addressed. Virtues such as wisdom, courage and a sense of right and wrong are also easily identifiable. In more mature literature, the lines between good and evil become blurred,…"  Of course, Xenophanes and Diogenes were two Greek philosophers who criticized the "morality" Greek gods – yet narratives are powerful tools. 

Perspective: New Approach: Myths as Symbolic Maps of Divine Order and Social-Moral Order focused on the social symbolism of Justice & Injustice in context of Elzbieta Halas statement that "groups exist only on the ground of common symbolization of their members." "The processes of symbolization…create a social order, express meaning and control actions!" – which is a counterpoint to the materialist maxim that spirituality is unreal and superstitious nonsense which is incorporated into the "supernatural" maladaptive stereotype. By definition the "supernatural" is "outside the scope of science" and therefore a fallacy (Definist fallacy) and scientifically meaningless – plus the "supernatural" comes with baggage: powers, superstitious nonsense, irrational – intangible and unreal.