▁the ▁Dean ▁of ▁the ▁Ac adémie , ▁its ▁longest - ser ving ▁member . ▁ ▁He ▁died ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁a ▁few ▁weeks ▁before ▁his ▁ 1 0 1 st ▁birth day . ▁The ▁death ▁was ▁announced ▁four ▁days ▁later . ▁ ▁French ▁President ▁Nicolas ▁S ark o zy ▁described ▁him ▁as ▁" one ▁of ▁the ▁greatest ▁eth n olog ists ▁of ▁all ▁time ". ▁Bernard ▁K ouch ner , ▁the ▁French ▁Foreign ▁Minister , ▁said ▁Lé vi - St ra uss ▁" bro ke ▁with ▁an ▁eth noc ent ric ▁vision ▁of ▁history ▁and ▁human ity ▁... ▁At ▁a ▁time ▁when ▁we ▁are ▁trying ▁to ▁give ▁meaning ▁to ▁global isation , ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁fair er ▁and ▁more ▁hum ane ▁world , ▁I ▁would ▁like ▁Claude ▁Lé vi - St ra uss ' s ▁universal ▁echo ▁to ▁reson ate ▁more ▁strongly ". ▁In ▁a ▁similar ▁ve in , ▁a ▁statement ▁by ▁Lé vi - St ra uss ▁was ▁broadcast ▁on ▁National ▁Public ▁Radio ▁in ▁the ▁rem emb rance ▁produced ▁by ▁All ▁Things ▁Consider ed ▁on ▁November ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 : ▁" There ▁is ▁today ▁a ▁fright ful ▁disapp earance ▁of ▁living ▁species , ▁be ▁they ▁plants ▁or ▁animals . ▁And ▁it ' s ▁clear ▁that ▁the ▁density ▁of ▁human ▁be ings ▁has ▁become ▁so ▁great , ▁if ▁I ▁can ▁say ▁so , ▁that ▁they ▁have ▁begun ▁to ▁poison ▁themselves . ▁And ▁the ▁world ▁in ▁which ▁I ▁am ▁finishing ▁my