Primitive Mentality

The primitive mind does not differentiate the supernatural from reality, but rather uses "mystical participation" to manipulate the world. According to Bruhl, moreover, the primitive mind doesn't address contradictions. The modern mind, by contrast, uses reflection and logic. Bruhl believed in a historical and evolutionary teleology leading from the primitive mind to the modern mind.

This accessible and illuminating book explores the classical opposition between magic, science and religion.

Excerpt from Primitive Mentality In order to get hold, as it were, of the main point - the processes essential to primitive mentality - I have purposely chosen for my analyses the simplest and least ambiguous Of facts. In this way I hoped to lessen the chances Of error which in so complex a subject are very numerous, and to demonstrate more clearly the actual functioning Of the constituent principles of this mentality. I have consequently adhered to the study of what, to primitives, are the unseen powers by which they feel themselves surrounded on all sides - their dreams, the omens they Observe or incite, ' ordeals, bad death, the extraordinary things brought by white people, their remedies, etc. The reader, therefore, must not expect to find here a study Of primitive mentality as it relates to the technique of uncivilized communities (the inventing and perfecting of tools and weapons, the care of animals, construction of buildings, cultivation Of the soil, and so on), or to their oft-times complex institutions, such as the organization of family life, or totemism. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This book presents a controversial analysis of the debates surrounding race in the psychological literature of this century. Graham Richards contextualizes some famous studies to present the basis of their outlook on race and racism.

The Cambridge Handbook of Consciousness is the first of its kind in the field, and its appearance marks a unique time in the history of intellectual inquiry on the topic. After decades during which consciousness was considered beyond the scope of legitimate scientific investigation, consciousness re-emerged as a popular focus of research towards the end of the last century, and it has remained so for nearly 20 years. There are now so many different lines of investigation on consciousness that the time has come when the field may finally benefit from a book that pulls them together and, by juxtaposing them, provides a comprehensive survey of this exciting field. An authoritative desk reference, which will also be suitable as an advanced textbook.