Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1972. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Les gens de savoir, évêques et chanoines, abbé et moines, chanceliers et secrétaires, baillis et sénéchaux, procureurs et avocats, notaires et professeurs, médecins, composent la majeure partie du haut-clergé, des gens de justice et des cadres de l’administration ducale en Bretagne, à la fin du Moyen Âge. Majoritairement formés en droit dans les universités du royaume de France (Paris, Angers), beaucoup reviennent faire carrière dans le duché, au service de l’Église, de la Justice, du duc et de son administration, qu’ils contribuent à développer à la fin du XIVe siècle et au cours du XVe siècle. Ce faisant, ils ne négligent pas leur propre réussite professionnelle et personnelle, cumulant pour certains offices et revenus. Cette étude retrace leurs origines, leur parcours, leurs ambitions, leurs succès et leurs échecs pour s’assurer une place dans la société et au-delà, éclaire aussi le fonctionnement des différents secteurs professionnels dans lesquels ils évoluent. / People of science, bishops and canons, abbots and monks, chancelors and secretaries, bailiffs and seneschals, prosecutors and atorneys, notaries and professors, medical practitioners, make the most part of the high-clergy, the justice people and the ducal administrative executives in Britanny, at the end of the Middle Ages.Mostly trained in law in universities of the Kingdom of France (Paris, Angers), many come back to make a carreer in the duchy, serving the Church, the Justice, the duke and his administration, contributing to their developpement from the end of the 14th century and during the 15th century. In their tasks, they do not neglect their own professionnal and personnal success, some cumulating positions and incomes.This study tracks back their origins, their career path, their aspirations, their successes and failures in securing a position in society and beyond, also enlightening on the workings of the various professionnal branches in which they evolve.

This paper identifies theories and cognitive aspects that shed light on the transcultural unifying identity power of Masonic initiation rituals and illustrates this more closely using the case study of the German master ritual. It suggests that the potential of the unifying identity of Masonic rituals does not reside solely in their symbolism, but rather primarily in their enactment as performance. By breaking down the basic elements of the performative character of rituals and comparing the Masonic ritual to that of male initiation among the Chambri people of Papua New Guinea within Whitehouse’s theoretical model of modes of religiosity, this paper also explores the transcultural unifying identity power of rituals while outlining a novel explanatory framework in the field of Cognitive Science of Religion (CSR) and Ritual Studies. The present paper suggests that religious and religiously connoted transcultural unifying identity, including its inherent capacity for meaning creation and meaning attribution, is more strongly and stably achieved the more Framed Cognitive Immersion (FCI) is engaged, that is, the more corresponding cognitive processes of the participants are triggered together.:1. Why ritual research? 1.2 The concept of religion used in this study 1.3 The concept of ritual used in this study 1.4 The three basic elements of a ritual 2. Symbols and the performative character of rituals 2.1 The holistic approach to human cognition (Embodiment) 3. The power of rituals: The performative dimension 3.1 The performance of the legend of Hiram Abif 3.2 Generation of Reality 3.3 Scenic Staging 3.4 Corporeality or Physical Presence 4. Framed Cognitive Immersion (FCI) in ritual context