LÉVY-BRUHL (Lucien), *Primitive Mentality* - Lot 211

LÉVY-BRUHL (Lucien), *Primitive Mentality* Paris, Librairie Félix Alcan, 1925. In-8, paperback, printed cover. Fourth edition of one of the major works by Lucien Lévy-Bruhl, a French philosopher and sociologist, member of the Institut de France, and a proponent of Durkheimian thought. Published in the *Travaux de l’Année sociologique* series, this seminal essay develops the theory of “primitive mentality,” a concept through which the author seeks to describe the modes of thought and collective representations of traditional societies. Drawing on extensive ethnographic documentation, Lévy-Bruhl examines the beliefs, magical practices, taboos, and symbolic systems of numerous non-European societies. In it, he sets forth his famous theory of “mystical participation,” which left a lasting mark on the history of anthropology, the sociology of religion, and the history of ideas in the 20th century. An iconic work of the intellectual debates of the interwar period, it remains an essential testament to the evolution of the French humanities. The cover is in good condition, well-preserved despite a few slight signs of age. The interior is in very good condition, with paper that has uniformly yellowed over time, as is often the case, and no major defects. A pleasant copy of this sought-after edition of the *Travaux de l’Année sociologique*.