Social Sciences in China, 2025

Vol. 46, No. 1, 2025

On the Dual Nature of Early Thinking

(Abstract)

Wang Zhenzhong

Early thinking exhibits a dual nature in which logical and prelogical thinking intertwine and coexist. This dual coexistence can be observed in China’s Paleolithic composite tools and hunting activities, as well as in Neolithic patterns, paintings, sculptures, and totem worship. It is manifest not only in the minds of “primitive” humans but also within individual artworks, activities, myths, and ancient historical legends. Through the continuous cycle of “practice, learning, further practice, and further learning” in social production and daily life, each generation enhances its intelligence and expands its knowledge. There tends to be a difference between modern Eastern and Western mentalities: the former can be characterized as “intuitive, integrative, dialectical, and image-based thought,” while the latter can be described as “rational, conceptual, analytical, and logical thought.” Ideally, creative thinking should be an organic fusion of these two approaches.

Keywords: logical thinking, prelogical thinking, creative thinking, law of participation, law of causality