 The scholar of religion Jonathan Z. Smith for example argued that it had no utility as an etic term that scholars should use.The historian of religion Wouter Hanegraaff agreed, on the grounds that its use is founded in conceptions of Western superiority and has "...served as a 'scientific' justification for converting non-European peoples from benighted superstitions..." stating that "the term magic is an important object "of" historical research, but not intended "for" doing research.