What is the theory on origins of religion by Frazer?

James Frazer, in his work "The Golden Bough," proposed that religion evolved through three stages: magic, religion, and science. He argued that early humans relied on magical thinking to control their environment, which eventually gave way to religious beliefs as they sought explanations for natural phenomena through deities. Over time, as rational thinking developed, science emerged as a means to understand the world, suggesting that religion was a transitional phase in human thought. Frazer's theory highlights the progression of human understanding from superstition to a more empirical approach to life.