Our primitive mind is similar to an animal in that it uses both sides of our brain for many different purposes but still have a single basic function which is similar to how an animal's mind works. There are major differences however but both forms of minds operate together. Both primitive minds attempt to understand the world around them and utilize it. They also attempt to communicate with other people and use language.
The civilised mind has replaced most of the primitive thought with what we now commonly call 'logic'. Logical arguments are used to explain the world and take it as we see it. This is one of the main differences between the primitive and civilised mind. In a primitive state, belief was everything and understanding was only second nature. When you study the lives of the primitive tribes, you will notice that all of them have one common thread, they believe in something or they wouldn't be alive.
As we get older and start to move into the higher form of our consciousness, logic and reasoning loses its importance and is replaced by emotion. Emotions are more powerful and stronger than logic because it comes from the deeper part of our brain known as the limbic system. The limbic system produces chemicals which are needed to send signals to our sensory receptors and these are then interpreted by our brain as words, actions and emotions.
Because of the influence of the limbic system, children are usually better equipped to deal with situations than adults are. The differences between the primitive and the mature mind stem from the fact that the adult brain attempts to make sense out of the chaos which is actually happening inside of us. The thoughts, feelings and emotions which enter our mind cannot be properly understood by the conscious mind which is like a thick fog bank which has blocked our view of the real world around us. This fog bank however can be cleared by introducing new raw material such as emotions and positive mental images which are easier for our brains to process.
Our primitive peoples had no judgements or no set of morals and ethics to follow. They relied on emotion and instinctive behaviour to guide their actions. The only way that these people could communicate to one another was through verbal communication. To argue with another individual, they would ask questions about his behaviour, his motives and his goals. Unlike the rational human beings of today, primitive peoples had no concepts of right and wrong.
Because of the emotional and instinctual behaviour of the primitive mind, those who possessed it could survive in the wilds with no weapons or armour except for what they were naturally born with. Their bodies were also built to withstand the cold. The reason why we need ethics and morals now is because our physical make-up is unable to defend us in those times and we have to rely on other people to help us, or help us get out of a sticky situation. The only thing that the primitive mind had to offer in the way of ethics and morals was its ability to organise and classify the world around it. It created the order of nature using objects and concepts that it could understand and then passed this knowledge down to its members.
Today, we still depend on the abstract and intangible quality of the primitive mind to help us make sense of the chaotic and confusing environment we find ourselves in. If you ask an ordinary person how they feel about certain issues, you will receive different answers from people with different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Different people interpret different situations and they have all made their own judgments about what is right and what is wrong. We have yet to fully grasp the power of the primitive mind but it is probably an asset to have since it would allow us to function better in the real world.
Whether you agree with it or not, it is a fact that the foundation of all ethical behaviour can be traced back to the origins of human beings. From there, we built upon these foundations and used them to form the very foundation of our ethical behaviour in the world today. In the past, the concept of right and wrong was more based in cultural and religious ideas and these have been refined and expanded to the point where it can be used to define right and wrong behaviour even in modern society. Right and wrong are not natural properties of the universe; they are not part of the natural laws which govern the universe and they are not part of the makeup of the universe itself.
