Consciousness and the Bicameral Mind - The Julian Jaynes Society Podcast

Julian Jaynes Society
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Listen to "Consciousness and the Bicameral Mind: The Julian Jaynes Society Podcast," where we explore Princeton University psychologist Julian Jaynes's theory of the origin of consciousness and the bicameral mind, as described in his best selling book, "The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind." Produced by Julian Jaynes Society Executive Director Marcel Kuijsten. Learn more about Julian Jaynes's theory or become a member by visiting the Julian Jaynes Society at https://www.julianjaynes.org.

  1. 5D AGO

    33. Compared to Other Scientific Ideas, Jaynesian Psychology Isn’t So Farfetched

    Compared to Other Scientific Ideas, Jaynesian Psychology Isn’t So Farfetched — But How Confident Can We Be that Jaynes Is Right? By Brian J. McVeigh Produced by Marcel Kuijsten. Read by Michael R. Jacobs (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theungoogleable.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VoidDenizen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). We accept as fact the magical transformation of species (Darwinian evolution), the warping of spatiotemporal fabric (Einsteinian astrophysics), and the superposition of particles and “spooky action at a distance” (quantum mechanics). So surely, one would think, acknowledging the cultural roots of consciousness and that supernatural visitations and visions (hallucinations) governed societies seems rather tame. Compared to other well-established scientific ideas, Jaynes’s arguments do not seem so implausible. But many of us still find his ideas unpersuasive. Indeed, while we are comfortable with the way the hard sciences defy our commonsensical assumptions about the how the natural world works, when it comes to consciousness, we feel uncomfortably challenged if confronted by something as so supposedly radical as Jaynesian psychology. It seems we are all “experts,” convinced that our own views must accurately describe something so personal, immediate, and “obvious” as subjective introspectable self-awareness. Read the complete text from this episode: https://www.julianjaynes.org/2023/12/13/compared-to-other-scientific-ideas-jaynesian-psychology-isnt-so-farfetched/ Learn more about Julian Jaynes's theory or become a member by visiting the Julian Jaynes Society at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.julianjaynes.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    6 min

  2. FEB 27

    32. Julian Jaynes and the Mind: Celebrating the Life and Ideas of Julian Jaynes

    Julian Jaynes and the Mind: Celebrating the Life and Ideas of Julian Jaynes Today, let's talk about a thinker who's wild theory completely rewrote the history of the human mind: Julian Jaynes. Born on this day in 1920, Jaynes proposed a truly shocking theory about our own consciousness ... Produced by Marcel Kuijsten using generative AI tools and reviewed by human editors for accuracy and clarity. Learn more about Julian Jaynes's theory or become a member by visiting the Julian Jaynes Society at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.julianjaynes.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Read our latest book, "Conversations on Consciousness and the Bicameral Mind":https://www.julianjaynes.org/book/conversations-on-consciousness-and-the-bicameral-mind/

    2 min

  3. JAN 29

    31. The Invention of the Mind | Julian Jaynes's Ideas on Consciousness and the Self

    The Invention of the Mind: Julian Jaynes's Ideas on Consciousness and the Self Let's start with a question that sounds, well, it sounds super simple: "Where do our dreams come from?" I mean, for us, right now, the answer feels totally obvious -- almost instinctual. Our dreams, are feelings -- all that stuff -- it comes from that private universe inside our own heads. This quote from the Romantic era just nails it. Our inner life, that personal passion, it's not just a part of who we are, it feels like the whole point of our existence. So, let's start right there -- let's dive into this private universe we all seem to have -- the modern inner world... Produced by Marcel Kuijsten using generative AI tools and reviewed by human editors for accuracy and clarity. Learn more about Julian Jaynes's theory or become a member by visiting the Julian Jaynes Society at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.julianjaynes.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Read our latest book, "Conversations on Consciousness and the Bicameral Mind":https://www.julianjaynes.org/book/conversations-on-consciousness-and-the-bicameral-mind/ Contents: 00:00 - Introduction 0:30 - Our Private Universe 01:12 - An Ancient Dream Book 03:12 - A Different Mind 04:41 - Divine Message to Self 05:47 - The Birth of 'Me'

    8 min

  4. 2025-12-30

    30. Consciousness Is More “Nurture” than “Nature”

    Consciousness Is More “Nurture” than “Nature” But Like a Massive Planet, the Gravitational Pull of the Word “Consciousness” Drags our Thinking in the Wrong Direction, Warping Scientific Analysis By Brian J. McVeigh Produced by Marcel Kuijsten. Read by Michael R. Jacobs (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theungoogleable.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VoidDenizen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The nature-versus-nurture debate has framed discussions about the origins of mind for centuries: Is it innate or acquired? Has it biologically evolved or is it better understood as the product of historical development? To what degree is it learned? To be more specific, what about consciousness, understood here as one aspect of mind? Read the complete text from this episode: https://www.julianjaynes.org/2023/02/14/consciousness-is-more-nurture-than-nature/ Learn more about Julian Jaynes's theory or become a member by visiting the Julian Jaynes Society at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.julianjaynes.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    5 min

  5. 2025-08-12

    29. The God-Shaped Hole in Your Mind: Julian Jaynes’s Groundbreaking Ideas Explained in Just 16 Minutes

    The God-Shaped Hole in Your Mind: Julian Jaynes’s Groundbreaking Ideas on Consciousness and the Bicameral Mind Explained in Just 16 Minutes What if human consciousness, as we know it, is a recent invention? In this fast-paced 16-minute presentation, we explore the revolutionary theory of psychologist Julian Jaynes — a mind-bending journey into the origins of thought, the voices of ancient gods, and the breakdown of the “bicameral mind.” Whether you’re new to Jaynes’s work or revisiting his ideas with fresh eyes, you’ll leave with a new perspective on what it means to be conscious — and why that might not be as timeless as we think. Produced by Marcel Kuijsten. Learn more about Julian Jaynes's theory or become a member by visiting the Julian Jaynes Society at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.julianjaynes.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Read our latest book, "Conversations on Consciousness and the Bicameral Mind": https://www.julianjaynes.org/book/conversations-on-consciousness-and-the-bicameral-mind/

    17 min

  6. 2025-07-24

    28. Bicameral Mentality in Ancient Mesopotamia: A Deep Dive Discussion

    Bicameral Mentality in Ancient Mesopotamia: A Deep Dive Discussion A deep dive discussion delving into the evidence for bicameral mentality in ancient Mesopotamia, building on Julian Jaynes's chapter "A Change of Mind in Mesopotamia" by drawing upon a wide range of scholarly sources. Produced by Marcel Kuijsten. Introduction read by Michael R. Jacobs (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theungoogleable.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VoidDenizen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Read the transcript: https://www.julianjaynes.org/2025/07/30/bicameral-mentality-in-ancient-mesopotamia/ Learn more about Julian Jaynes's theory or become a member by visiting the Julian Jaynes Society at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.julianjaynes.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    1 hr

  7. 2025-06-20

    27. Conversations on Consciousness and the Bicameral Mind: A Deep Dive Book Discussion

    Conversations on Consciousness and the Bicameral Mind: A Deep Dive Book Discussion A deep dive discussion delving into the book "Conversations on Consciousness and the Bicameral Mind: Interviews with Leading Thinkers on Julian Jaynes's Theory." This book is highly recommended for those new to Julian Jaynes and long time Jaynes enthusiasts alike: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1737305534/ Introduction read by Michael R. Jacobs (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theungoogleable.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VoidDenizen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Learn more about Julian Jaynes's theory or become a member by visiting the Julian Jaynes Society at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.julianjaynes.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Contents: 00:00 - Introduction 03:12 - Resistance to New Ideas 03:52 - Defining Consciousness 09:40 - Consciousness and Language Part 1 13:38 - When Consciousness Developed 16:39 - Comparing the Iliad and the Odyssey 18:30 - The Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind 19:35 - Vestiges of Bicameral Mentality 19:59 - Hearing Voices 24:02 - The Feeling of a Sensed Presence 25:18 - Hypnosis 27:58 - Creative Inspiration 28:40 - The Evolution of Religion 30:28 - Spirit Possession 30:54 - Cave Art 31:25 - Seeking External Authorization 32:18 - Consciousness and Language Part 2 35:55 - Jaynes's Neurological Model 41:17 - Implications of the Theory 45:20 - The Future of Consciousness 47:00 - Concluding Remarks

    51 min

  8. 2025-06-06

    26. Consciousness and Bicameral Mentality: A Deep Dive Discussion Exploring Nearly Every Aspect of Julian Jaynes's Theory

    Consciousness and Bicameral Mentality: A Deep Dive Discussion Exploring Nearly Every Aspect of Julian Jaynes's Theory A fascinating, deep dive discussion that provides an in-depth exploration of nearly every aspect of Julian Jaynes's theory of the origin of consciousness and an earlier mentality he called the bicameral mind. Highly recommended for those new to Julian Jaynes and long time Jaynes enthusiasts alike! Read the transcript: https://www.julianjaynes.org/2025/06/08/consciousness-and-bicameral-mentality/ Produced by Camille Tillier and Marcel Kuijsten. Introduction read by Michael R. Jacobs (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theungoogleable.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VoidDenizen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Learn more about Julian Jaynes's theory or become a member by visiting the Julian Jaynes Society at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.julianjaynes.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Contents: 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:02:51 - Jaynes's Core Claims 00:03:22 - The Origin of Consciousness 00:10:40 - Bicameral Mentality 00:17:52 - Wide-Ranging Implications 00:27:42 - Literary Evidence: Ancient Greece 00:32:50 - Literary Evidence: Mesopotamia 00:38:55 - Literary Evidence: Ancient Egypt 00:41:00 - Archeological Evidence 00:45:02 - Neurological Evidence 00:48:00 - What It Was Like to Be Bicameral 00:52:03 - Absence of Deception and Morality 00:57:21 - The Causes of Consciousness 01:03:06 - Bicameral Vestiges: Omens 01:06:18 - Bicameral Vestiges: Angels and Genii 01:07:43 - Bicameral Vestiges: Oracles and Divination 01:10:37 - Bicameral Vestiges: Tourette Syndrome and Glossolalia 01:11:24 - Bicameral Vestiges: Poetry and Music 01:14:42 - Bicameral Vestiges: Hypnosis 01:17:46 - Bicameral Vestiges: Schizophrenia 01:20:54 - Bicameral Vestiges: Imaginary Companions 01:21:57 - Bicameral Vestiges: Totalitarian States 01:23:12 - New Evidence for Jaynes's Theory 01:30:23 - Profound Implications: Consciousness 01:32:16 - Profound Implications: Religion 01:33:12 - Profound Implications: The Nature of Reality 01:33:55 - Profound Implications: The Human Condition 01:35:25 - Concluding Remarks and the Future of Consciousness

    1h 38m
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Listen to "Consciousness and the Bicameral Mind: The Julian Jaynes Society Podcast," where we explore Princeton University psychologist Julian Jaynes's theory of the origin of consciousness and the bicameral mind, as described in his best selling book, "The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind." Produced by Julian Jaynes Society Executive Director Marcel Kuijsten. Learn more about Julian Jaynes's theory or become a member by visiting the Julian Jaynes Society at https://www.julianjaynes.org.

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