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This article is a review of Lucien Lévy-Bruhl's influential work, "Les Fonctions Mentales dans les Sociétés Inférieures" (1910), translated into English as "How Natives Think." Wallis summarizes Lévy-Bruhl's arguments concerning the "prelogical" mentality of so-called primitive societies, focusing on their distinct approaches to numeration and classification. Lévy-Bruhl posits that these societies operate under a "law of participation," where individuals do not distinguish clearly between themselves and the objects of their thought. This leads to a different understanding of causality and logic, which Lévy-Bruhl contrasts with the "logical" thought of Western societies. Wallis highlights Lévy-Bruhl's extensive use of ethnographic data to support his claims, while also noting some of the criticisms leveled against his work, particularly concerning the potential for misinterpretation and overgeneralization of cultural differences.

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