Reviews for The primal mind

The average rating for The primal mind based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2014-02-19 00:00:00 Greg Jezewski A valuable attempt to explain Native American culture to the dominant culture, using the the dominant culture's understanding of the Artist (as visionary individual) as a plank to bridge the conceptual gap. Highwater is sensitive to the varieties of individualism within Native cultures and between Native culture and the dominant culture. The book is slightly marred by too-facile generalizations about European culture (e.g., would we really want to classify Richard Wagner as a twentieth-century composer?), and in my mind it places to much weight on emerging convergence between modern art and Native art--not only because what was "emerging" in the late seventies now seems hopelessly dated, but also because in retrospect we can see that Highwater was grasping optimistically at a convergence that did not come to pass. What passes as Modern Art today, it seems to me, is more baubles for the leisure class than a cultural vanguard. Still, Highwater is right that many in the dominant culture seek, rightly, some knowledge of indigenous cultures to fix what is bankrupt in their own culture. Dialogue is valuable and necessary. There is a lot of wisdom in this small book.

Review # 2 was written on 2015-01-12 00:00:00 Jeffrey Ellis Fascinating addition to any post-colonial philosophical investigation. Jamake Highwater's arguments give the reader the opportunity to traverse the transitional space between the 'western' philosophical canon and Native American philosophy. By addressing the different conceptions of concepts like time and story Jamake is able to provide the reader with a more comprehensive understanding of different views. Not only does this text give the individual the ability to engage with an under-taught and under-appreciated discipline it also makes useful critiques and analysis of continental philosophical theories. Highly recommended.