Levi-Strauss believed that the human brain has certain characteristics which stem from the functions of the brain. These common mental structures lead people to think similarly, reguardless of their society or cultural background.
He also said about the need to classify, the need to impose order on aspects of nature, on peoples relationships with nature, and on relations between people.
He discovered that one of the most common means of classifying is by using binary opposites, such as good and evil, white and black, old and young, high and low. He argued that a fundamental characteristic of the human mind is the desire to find a midpoint between such opposites.
He saw myths and symbols that represent our social existance. For example, in the story of Asdiwal, a myth amoung the Timshian in Canada, there are parallel opposite pairs, such as Matrilocal and Patrilocal, Journey West and Journey East, Sea and Land, Sea Hunting and Land Hunting. Each oppositional pair is composed by one real characteristic and one imaginary characteristic in the Timshian society. In other words, these opposites don't exist in reality. Levi-Strauss argued that these fantasy oppositions reveal our tendancy of classifying our complicated reality by giving explanations.
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