Final answer:
Claude Lévi-Strauss's concept of binary oppositions in human thinking explains how cultures define themselves against nature, with animals serving as symbols for human societies to reflect upon themselves. This need for order pertains to the way humans inherently process the world through structured cognitive frameworks, oftentimes accepting cultural narratives to avoid chaos.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Claude Lévi-Strauss, because "the human mind orders the world according to opposites," we understand and classify the world through a lens of binary oppositions. This conceptual framework allows for culture to define itself in opposition to what it perceives as nature, establishing a dichotomy between what is human and what is not. Lévi-Strauss's assertion that "animals are 'good to think'" encapsulates this idea, as animals become symbolic representations through which human societies can contemplate and articulate their own identity and humanity. Furthermore, this systematic ordering helps to create a sense of structure and coherence in response to complex existential questions, leading most individuals to accept cultural narratives and order to avoid the discomfort of chaos and unanswered questions
This cognitive predisposition toward dualistic thinking is reflected across various cultural narratives, such as myths, which have historically provided frameworks for understanding life's biggest questions. The persistence of such dichotomous thinking in human cognition suggests a deep-seated need for order and classification, which resonates with philosophical ideas like those of Immanuel Kant, who argued that our understanding of the world is inherently shaped by the categorical structures of our mind-brain. The interplay between human nature and culture, as discussed by philosophers and anthropologists, demonstrates our reliance on established systems of knowledge to make sense of the world around us.