Concept of Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

[Garson O'Toole]

Fred asked about the "earliest known expression of the concept of the
self-fulfilling prophecy" and mentioned an instance in Gibbon's The
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. The first volume
of this work was published in 1776.

Since this task is not easy to define I decided to search for the
concept expressed with words similar to those used by Gibbon.

I think that the concept was expressed in 1745 in the work "The Family
Expositor: or, A Paraphrase and Version of the New Testament: with
Critical Notes and a Practical Improvement of Each Section", Volume 2.

This work contains an expanded version of the tale of Mary anointing
the feet of Jesus based on the biblical verse Mark 14:9 and the
surrounding text. In the expanded text Jesus discusses the future and
makes a prediction with additional details supplied by the writer.
(Strictly speaking Jesus makes more than one prediction.) The critical
notes that are included with the work comment negatively on the
recounting of this episode. The critic complains that the prediction
is "trifling, and would seem to bespeak its own Accomplishment." I
think this is an instance of a writing mentioning the concept of a
self-fulfilling prophecy.

Here is an excerpt containing the prediction by Jesus that is the
subject of the complaint in the critical analysis.

And on the whole, tho' you have such hard Thoughts of what she has
been doing, it shall not finally turn to her Reproach or Damage; but
as I graciously accept it, so I assuredly say unto you, that
wheresoever this Gospel of mine is preached, and it in Time shall have
its Triumph over the whole World, this very Action also which this
pious and affectionate Woman has now performed shall be inserted in
the History of my Life, and be spoken of with Honour for a Memorial of
her Friendship and Affection to me; so that her Name shall be embalmed
in such a Manner, as to be far more fragrant than the Perfume which
she has poured forth on my Head and my Feet. (Compare Eccles. vii I.)

Here is an excerpt from the critical analysis that contains the
concept of a self-fulfilling prophecy:

Not to say, that the Prediction, which Mr Whiston supposes our Lord to
utter, is quite trifling, and would seem to bespeak its own
Accomplishment, in a Manner which he never would have stooped to.

Here are some links into the book so the reader can perform his or her
own analysis.

http://books.google.com/books?id=mqYGAAAAQAAJ&q=bespeak#v=snippet&
http://books.google.com/books?id=mqYGAAAAQAAJ&q=%22her+friendship%22#v=snippet&


On Mon, Aug 15, 2011 at 12:31 PM, Jonathan Lighter
<wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Concept of Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> That's probably not it, but it's far earlier than any allusion I can think
> of.
>
> JL
>
> On Mon, Aug 15, 2011 at 12:03 PM, Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at yale.edu>wrote:
>
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
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>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       "Shapiro, Fred" <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>
>> Subject:      Concept of Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> I have recently come across the following line of Gibbon's in The Decline
>> and Fall of the Roman Empire:  "The prediction, as it is usual, contributed
>> to its own accomplishment."  This makes me wonder, what is the earliest
>> known expression of the concept of the self-fulfilling prophecy?
>>
>> Fred Shapiro
>>
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