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Consciousness and the Bicameral Mind - The Julian Jaynes Society Podcast

Consciousness and the Bicameral Mind - The Julian Jaynes Society Podcast

By: Julian Jaynes Society
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Summary

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.Julian Jaynes Society Science Social Sciences
Episodes
  • 34. The Software of the Mind: Unlocking Consciousness and Bicameral Mentality
    May 15 2026

    Learn more by reading "Conversations on Consciousness and the Bicameral Mind," currently on sale for a limited time:


    https://www.amazon.com/Conversations-Consciousness-Bicameral-Mind-Interviews/dp/1737305534/


    https://www.julianjaynes.org/book/conversations-on-consciousness-and-the-bicameral-mind/

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    5 mins
  • 33. Compared to Other Scientific Ideas, Jaynesian Psychology Isn’t So Farfetched
    May 4 2026

    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.

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    6 mins
  • 32. Julian Jaynes and the Mind: Celebrating the Life and Ideas of Julian Jaynes
    Feb 27 2026

    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/

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    2 mins
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