The Mind of Primitive Man: A Course of Lectures Delivered Before the Lowell Institute, Boston, Mass., and the National University of Mexico, 1910-1911

The Mind of Primitive Man, published in 1911, is a collection of lectures by anthropologist Franz Boas delivered at the Lowell Institute and the National University of Mexico. The work critiques the prevailing notions of racial superiority and examines the impact of environment and heredity on human traits. Boas argues that perceived differences between 'civilized' and 'primitive' peoples are largely influenced by environmental factors rather than inherent capabilities, challenging the assumptions that underpin claims of racial hierarchy.