弗雷泽在《金枝》中提出的人类心智发展三阶段进化图式反映了理性主义和个人主义思想的特征,汲取达尔文和斯宾塞的进化论思想以及泰勒的“文化遗存”和“人类心智同一性”观念。巫术、宗教、科学三者进化关系的探索说明宗教的起源、本质和发展问题,以此揭示人类社会进程中文明与蒙昧、理性与非理性、现在与过去的关系,探讨人类心智发展的过程与归宿。其主旨本无可厚非,但其研究方法、理论观念及对宗教和科学本质认识的缺陷,使费雷泽在这一进化图式中所表现出的疑虑和不确定性常易为人忽视,他本人为此饱受诟病,《金枝》的价值也在一定程度上被削弱。
The evolution schema of three stages development of the human mind that Frazer proposes in The Golden Bough obviously possesses the characteristics of rationalism and individualism at his time. Absorbing the e- volution ideas of Charles Darwin and Herbert Spencer, and the concepts of cultural survivals and identity of human mind of Edward Tylor, Frazer tries to explain the origin, nature and development of religion through exploring the relationship of magic art, religion and science, and to discuss the process and destination of development of hu- man mind by uncovering the relationship of civilization and savage, rational and irrational, now and the past. It is quite understandable for Frazer to choose this topic for his research, but the obvious fatal defects of his research method, ideas and his understanding of the nature of religion and science makes his doubt and uncertainty on this evolution schema usually be neglected, and not only he himself often be criticized, but the value of The Golden Bough be impaired to a certain degree.