Lucien Lévy-Bruhl

Lucien Lévy-Bruhl (10 April 1857 – 13 March 1939) was a French scholar trained in philosophy who furthered anthropology with his contributions to the budding fields of sociology and ethnology. His primary field interest was ways of thinking. He is known for his work on "primitive mentality," particularly in his book *How Natives Think* (1910). In this work, he posited two basic mindsets: the "primitive" and the "modern." The primitive mind, according to Lévy-Bruhl, does not differentiate the supernatural from reality and uses "mystical participation" to manipulate the world, often without addressing contradictions. The modern mind, in contrast, relies on reflection and logic. While often interpreted as an evolutionary teleology, Lévy-Bruhl's thought was more dynamic, acknowledging non-logical thought in modern societies. His concepts of "collective representations" and "participation mystique" influenced Carl Jung and Norman O. Brown. Despite criticisms, his work is considered a valuable contribution to anthropology.