ABSTRACT
The word 'archaic' means primal, original. Archaic man's is removed from his world in time, our mental equipment, being more differentiated, is superior to his, so that from this more elevated coign of vantage it is possible for us to survey his world and the meaning it held for him. Archaic is the psychology of modern, civilized man and not merely of individual 'throw-backs' in modern society. Just as the human body connects us with the mammals and displays numerous vestiges of earlier evolutionary stages going back even to the reptilian age, so the human psyche is a product of evolution which, when followed back to its origins, shows countless archaic traits. Levy-Bruhl himself, an authority in the field of primitive psychology, never wearies of emphasizing the striking difference between the 'prelogical' state of mind and our own conscious outlook. The incredibly accurate sense of direction shown by many primitives is essentially occupational.
