Perspectives on Cognitive Psychology in KTU 1.40: Moral Implications and Prescribed Emotional Responses to Foster Unity

Authors

Richard Jarvis III

Keywords

Ugaritic ritual, moral emotions, KTU 1.40, community unity dynamics, purification and atonement

Abstract

This paper examines the Ugaritic ritual text KTU 1.40 through the framework of cognitive psychology to explore its moral implications and prescribed emotional responses. While earlier scholarship has debated whether this ritual carried moral weight, my analysis demonstrates that it prescribes the removal or amelioration of five moral emotions—disgust, fear, anger, empathy, and a sense of justice—to promote unity within the community of Ugarit. Building on Thomas Kazen’s approach and Gregorio del Olmo Lete’s translation, this study argues that the repeated structure and inclusive nature of KTU 1.40 reflect an intentional effort to bridge emotional divides among the many groups within Ugarit. The ritual’s focus on purification and collective participation indicates an effort to quiet feelings of disgust and fear toward those outside the community, while guiding emotions like anger toward empathy and a renewed commitment to justice. Through this process, the rite operated as more than an act of atonement; it became a communal expression aimed at restoring harmony and strengthening the unity of Ugarit’s people.

BYU ScholarsArchive Citation

Jarvis, Richard III "Perspectives on Cognitive Psychology in KTU 1.40: Moral Implications and Prescribed Emotional Responses to Foster Unity." Studia Antiqua 24, no. 1 (2025). https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/studiaantiqua/vol24/iss1/4