The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind Audiobook By Julian Jaynes cover art

The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind

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The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind

By: Julian Jaynes
Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin
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About this listen

At the heart of this classic, seminal book is Julian Jaynes' still-controversial thesis that human consciousness did not begin far back in animal evolution but instead is a learned process that came about only 3,000 years ago and is still developing. The implications of this revolutionary scientific paradigm extend into virtually every aspect of our psychology, our history and culture, our religion - and indeed our future.

©1976, 1990 Julian Jaynes (P)2015 Audible, Inc.
Anatomy & Physiology Consciousness & Thought Philosophy Social Sciences Sociology Thought-Provoking

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Riveting theories dance with fringe envisionings

A book with such far out and wide standing thoughts needs and apt, sharp and pacing narrator - James Cronin's performance with expressive tones and flowing tempos brings this brilliant piece to life as the listener has space to contemplate alongside, but not get lost in the elaborate use of words and ever moving concepts. A provoking listen, and for me has been the most stimulating and inspiring book I have come across in nearly a decade. There's little doubt that my own work will be enlightened by this text. Exceptionally done by both author and narrator.

Enjoy your experience and be prepared for a paradigm shift. Your understanding of the origin of mind, self identity, societies and how they have formed may be up for a profound change, hopefully along with a projection of your own on how they all continue to develop and evolve today.

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4 people found this helpful

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Blew (both chambers of) my mind

This book blew (both chambers of) my mind - it was a fascinating view into consciousness

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very stimulating book

The theory of the bicameral mind is best explored by listening to this excellently narrated audiobook. Jaynes's book literally takes you on a trip to the other side, into what he carefully reconstructs as humanity's past without consciousness, into the realms of the bicameral mind. Once a language basis, use of metaphorical meaning and a mindspace for introspection had arisen, the bicameral mind broke down and consciousness took over. So what was prior to the dawn of consciousness? A bipartite, i.e. bicameral mind consisting of an executive function and a function mediating inspiration and exercising command, thus directing the executive function. Jaynes carefully explains how and why the bicameral mind existed in non-conscious human beings, why and how this mentality met it's end, and what vestiges still remain in some or all of us. The book opens fresh perspectives on language, poetry, literature, cultural history, religion, psychology, psychopathology, neurophysiology and much more. Highly recommended!

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Very interesting!

Consciousness is so fascinating! I really enjoyed this book! Very insightful! I would highly recommend it!

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life changing.

This book is more enlightening everytime I listen to it. I just finished my fourth listen.

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This is deep

If you can only read one book in your entire life, this is it. You will have to read it few times to get 20% of it. This book will be a best seller in 50-100 years since most of us have not evolved to this level yet, I think Dr Jaynes was way ahead of his time, hard to believe he wrote that book 50 years ago! I wish he was still alive today so I can attend his lectures in person

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Mind-altering

Persuasive argument for a radical hypothesis about the nature of the human mind, tying together neurology, history, and philosophy. Narration is clear and often brings a sense of dramatic tension to the at-times dry subject matter.

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Bicameralism is compelling

Compelling ideas. Highly recommended for those with even a cursory glance of the unusual in themselves.
Why bicameralism arose or broke down is not explained in sufficient detail, but only lazily surmised by appealing to randomness and natural selection.

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origins of consciousness, not sentience

Fascinating neurophilosophical theory of the minds of the ancients, complementing Jungian archetypes, begging the question of the transpersonal. If you're interested in that, then I think you will appreciate this book as it is original and the content is not covered in any other audiobook as far as I know. There are excellent paper and e-books by scholars that expand on it, but they usually assume you've already read this one.

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Great reading, amazing book.

This may be the best book Audible has to offer. I can't believe it is not on everyone's summer beach read list, and Ken Burns hasn't turned it into a series. Vivid and compelling. I will re read several times.

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