Decks categories

[The crowned one]

To me as a user, the only purposes of categorisation in a catalogue would be to:
-make a given deck easier to find
-help me to find decks I might like if I was keen on a given category.


Esoteric and metaphysical..... I can sort of think which is which but would need a definition to make sure I was right.


Aerin

Esoteric would be a developed "system" of interpretation that would not be readily understandable to the uninitiated...but the rules are hard and fast, you only need to earn the right or in rare cases discover for yourself, what they are. Hidden knowledge.

Metaphysical is more of a Philosophy of understanding things outside the physical world...it is very dynamic as when you understand something it pretty much leaves the metaphysical world by default of definition, but only when religion is left out of the equation.

 

[Aerin]

Esoteric would be a developed "system" of interpretation that would not be readily understandable to the uninitiated...but the rules are hard and fast, you only need to earn the right or in rare cases discover for yourself, what they are. Hidden knowledge.

Metaphysical is more of a Philosophy of understanding things outside the physical world...it is very dynamic as when you understand something it pretty much leaves the metaphysical world by default of definition, but only when religion is left out of the equation.

Thank you TCO. Although aren't esoteric systems about (or based on an?) understanding of metaphysical concepts (????) See this is why I am confused.

Here's a link I found that really only added to my confused state http://www.attarmusic.com/page16/page20/page20.html

Aerin

 

[Mariana]

Within (academic) philosophy, 'metaphysics' generally refers to precisely a logical system or a rational explanation of more spiritual things (beyond the physical world). Seeing it equated with something more mystical therefore strikes me as very odd. But then, the word 'philosophical' seems to be used out of context very often too... (not any 'belief system' is a philosophy, only a rational and empiric one).

 

[RiccardoLS]

Aerin is right... anyway (and Mariana too, btw).
There is no way to CLEARLY indicate where a deck falls.
(for instance ALL decks are "artistic". But we will try to label artistic, those decks whose primary drive is the art, and the art is the primary intepretation key, reference, source, fuol, whatever...

And the words are used to give an indication, not to express a definition. Necessarely.

 

[Aerin]

Within (academic) philosophy, 'metaphysics' generally refers to precisely a logical system or a rational explanation of more spiritual things (beyond the physical world). Seeing it equated with something more mystical therefore strikes me as very odd. But then, the word 'philosophical' seems to be used out of context very often too... (not any 'belief system' is a philosophy, only a rational and empiric one).

Thanks - I can understand this I think.

So an esoteric system could be a 'logical system' and/ or a 'rational explanation', or not depending on your definition of 'logical' and 'rational' (e.g. logical = self consistent within its own premises?).

But the main defining factor would be the secret society aspect?

Which would mean you could have:
systems that were esoteric AND metaphysical
systems that were esoteric but NOT metaphysical
systems that were metaphysical but NOT esoteric

in a Venn diagrammy kind of a way.

If so, I'm not sure that the categorisation works. 'No gaps, no overlaps' used to be the mantra from my management consultant days

Aerin

 

[Mariana]

But we will try to label artistic, those decks whose primary drive is the art, and the art is the primary intepretation key, reference, source, fuol, whatever...

And the words are used to give an indication, not to express a definition. Necessarely.

That's a very interesting approach - sort of indicating the vision behind a deck, the source of inspiration at its core, without limiting the outer boundaries of its applications and uses. Where the heart of the deck is, instead of measuring its circumference. That's a very organic, creative and open way to approach deck categorization. I really like it.

 

[Aerin]

Aerin is right... anyway (and Mariana too, btw).
There is no way to CLEARLY indicate where a deck falls.
(for instance ALL decks are "artistic". But we will try to label artistic, those decks whose primary drive is the art, and the art is the primary intepretation key, reference, source, fuol, whatever...

And the words are used to give an indication, not to express a definition. Necessarely.

Ah! We posted simultanously I think. Blame my background for an attempt to make the boundaries neat

I totally get the primary drive categorisation. That works better for me than trying to decide where a deck ends up - and adds more information too since I may not know that when using and examining the end product.

Like Mariana, I like that way of lookng at things.

Aerin

 

[Aerin]

A quick post to get this topic up again...

I have a LS .... well not catalog, more coffee table book??? but that's understating its beauty, and it is categorised as Riccardo indicated.

It is amazing as for each deck there are 11 cards and the card back reproduced in colour. It's the first time I've really 'seen' some of the decks: it's so hard with just online pictures and an unopened deck in a shop. I completely lose myself in decks as I turn from page to page, the outside world goes away. Some of the backs are very, very beautiful as well: if anyone has the Karmasutra and doesn't want the title card I'll have it!!!!!!!!

The categorisation, for me, acts as a talking point more than anything. I can see why the decks are grouped the way they are but it doesn't act as a straightjacket. I find it interesting, for example, that:

Gnomes is a 'cultural tarot'
Fairy Tarot is an 'art tarot'
Fey is a 'metaphysical tarot'

In my head the Gnomes and the Fairy have always existed together.

Oh, and the Tarot of the Druids reminds me of Asterix . Something about the noses.


Also, there are a LOT of tarot decks with an Egyptian theme. A lot.

Goodness there are some beautiful decks out there.

Aerin

 

[RiccardoLS]

I think I managed to genuinely surprise someone. ^_^

The catalogue-book (has no name) has been printed but not yet announced or distributed. It was built primarly to be a support for shops (to avoid the problem of opened and unoped decks), but it went to be something more.

Beside the "book", I still insist that the categorization of deck is a a fundamental axpect of discussion into what Tarot is.
When the book, or any catalogue, will be long past... this will be still important (or, if it fails, just a wasted opportunity, that will wait for the next chance when the times will be ready).

ric

p.s.
just to say what it's all about, here is a link to a PDF marketing text with photos.
http://www.loscarabeo.com/files/Mark-GalleryCata_UK.pdf

 

[shaveling]

The House of Tarot website has a (somewhat more detailed) index of categories for their online catalog. So does Somerville. I find it a reasonable way to organize a catalog, and a convenience in shopping. And I sometimes browse categories outside my own interests, just to see what's there. I've never read any posts here complaining about this feature of the website. So this sounds like a good move to me.