The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind

By: Julian Jaynes

Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin

Length: 16 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

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.

Psyche pronounced as see-key 44 times

Nothing to add to the 5-star reviews about this phenomenal essay. However, for a book with the word 'MIND' in the title it's painful to hear the narrator, James Patrick Cronin, pronounce 'psyche' as 'see-key' forty-four (44) times over 26 of its 469 pages. The word psyche is used twice on page 69, once on page 71, once on page 257 and then forty (40) times beginning on page 270 under the section titled 'Psyche' through page 292. On page 291 the word 'psyche' is used nine (9) times. Here it is, read it out loud for yourself as "see-key" - - - "But the 'see-key' here is somewhat the same, a something of a man which leaves the body at death. And what the Hades view of 'see-key' may be is a composite of the Pythagorean teaching with the older view of the buried dead in Greek antiquity. All this curious development of the sixth century B.C. is extremely important for psychology. For with this wrenching of 'see-key' = life over to 'see-key' = soul, there came other changes to balance it as the enormous inner tensions of a lexicon always do. The word soma had meant corpse or deadness, the opposite of 'see-key' as livingness. So now, as 'see-key' becomes soul, so soma remains as its opposite, becoming body. And dualism, the supposed separation of soul and body, has begun. But the matter does not stop there. In Pindar, Heraclitus, and others around 500 B.C., 'see-key' and nous begin to coalesce. It is now the conscious subjective mind-space and its self that is opposed to the material body. Cults spring up about this new wonder-provoking division between 'see-key' and soma. It both excites and seems to explain the new conscious experience, thus reinforcing its very existence. The conscious 'see-key' is imprisoned in the body as in a tomb." - - - It's just atrocious. He mangles the pronunciation of other words - but this is the most prolific sputter that actually has a ruinous and detracting impact. FYI: In the book, the word 'psyche' is italicized every time. Just stunning.

An Intriguing & Research-based Thought Experiment

This essay explores four hypotheses that challenge our historical understanding of human perception and reality.

Eye opening.

Interesting way of understanding the modern self and historical origins of consciousness. Well worth the time.

This book will blow your mind

If you don’t know what this book is about or you’re not familiar with its arguments… be prepared to have your thinking permanently changed.

Fascinating exploration of history and the mind

Jargon dense but understandable. Drags in spots. Thorough and fascinating. Worth reading/listening. Not for the deeply religious. Probably over sweeping but credible.

Great book but requires a lot of concentration

The topic is complex so it can sometime require a lot of concentration to understand. Definitely not something to listen to while driving.

The analog of self…..

This is a critical contribution to the consideration of what consciousness actually is and it provides it’s not the perfect answer certainly a perspective that must be included in the kind of thinking that helps us actually understand consciousness.

This is a majestic and brave book thoroughly researched and very delightfully assembled.

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.

Blew (both chambers of) my mind

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

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!