The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind

By: Julian Jaynes

Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin

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.

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.

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.

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.