ABSTRACT
INSTITUTIONS IN WHICH COLLECTIVE REPRE SENTATIONS GOVERNED B Y THE LAW OF PARTICIPATION ARE INVOLVED (I)
Our study of the collective representations and their inter relations among primitives has led us to conclude that these people possess a mystic, prelogical mentality differing in many essentials from our logical thinking. This conclusion, moreover, seems to have been confirmed by our examination of certain characteristics in the languages spoken by primi tives and the system of numeration used. A counter-proof, however, is necessary. We therefore have to show that primi tives’ ways of acting do indeed correspond with their ways of thinking, as analysed in this volume, and that their collective representations express themselves in their institutions with the mystic, prelogical characteristics already noted. Such a demonstration would not only yield a valuable verification of my theory, but would lead the way to a better interpre tation of these institutions than any of the psychological and merely probable “ explanations ” so often urged, can afford, for this interpretation must above all take into account the mentality that is peculiar to the social groups under consideration.
