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How Natives Think

by Lucien Levy-Bruhl

An early theory of cultural thought

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AlbakiReads Editorial

An early theory of cultural thought

First published in 1926, Lucien Lévy-Bruhl’s work examines how societies understand reality, the supernatural, and contradiction. He contrasts what he calls “primitive” and “Western” mindsets, describing the former through the concept of “mystical participation” and the latter through speculation and logic. The book also reflects an evolutionary framework common among theorists of its era, presenting a historical progression between these categories. That framing is central to understanding the work as an early account of cultural psychology, rather than as a neutral description of societies. This edition is a 2015 facsimile reprint of the original edition.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers studying the history of cultural psychology and anthropology.
  • Readers interested in early theories of how societies interpret reality and the supernatural.
  • Readers seeking a facsimile reprint of a 1926 work.

Themes

Cultural psychologyBeliefs about the supernaturalContrasting models of thoughtEvolutionary theories of society

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

2015 Reprint of 1926 Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition. Not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. In this work, first published as "Les Fonctions Mentales dans les Societes Inferieures," Levy-Bruhl speculated about what he posited as the two basic mindsets of mankind; "primitive" and "Western." The primitive mind does not differentiate the supernatural from reality, but rather uses "mystical participation" to manipulate the world. According to Levy-Bruhl, moreover, the primitive mind doesn't address contradictions. The Western mind, by contrast, uses speculation and logic. Like many theorists of his time, Levy-Bruhl believed in a historical and evolutionary teleology leading from the primitive mind to the Western mind. Sociologist Stanislav Andreski argued that despite its flaws, Levy-Bruhl's "How Natives Think" was an accurate and valuable contribution to anthropology, perhaps even more so than better-known work by Claude Levi-Strauss.
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