Julian Jaynes, the Bicameral Mind & The Origin of Consciousness

Mar 28, 2010

Marcel Kuijsten is Founder and Executive Director of the Julian Jaynes Society. Julian was a psychologist known for his work about human consciousness. Marcel earned Bachelors degrees in both Psychology and English. He is also certified in hypnosis by the American Academy of Hypnosis. He is editor of the book Reflections on the Dawn of Consciousness: Julian Jaynes's Bicameral Mind Theory Revisited (2007) and co-editor of and regular contributor to The Jaynesian, the newsletter of the Julian Jaynes Society. In this interview, Marcel talks about Julian's book "The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind" and Marcel's book "Reflections on the Dawn of Consciousness: Julian Jaynes's Bicameral Mind Theory Revisited". Topic Discussed: the problem of consciousness, what is consciousness, language, mythology, writing, symbolism, Julian Jaynes, analogue eye, aspects of consciousness, behaviorists, higher thought, art, Nicholas Humphrey, bicameral, two brain halfs, the two chambers of the mind, Iliad, ancient civilizations, bicameral civilizations, explosion of Mount Thera, catastrophe, Dr Michael Carr, introspection, the fall, golden age and more. In the second hour, Marcel Kuijsten discusses drugs, entheogens & hallucinogens and their role in the development of consciousness. Marcel also talks about dreams, the unconscious, neurology and the origins of religion. What role does auditory hallucinations and temporal lobe epilepsy when it comes to the concept of God? Is it all a delusion? We continue talking about Jaynes’ work and the new evidence for the theory related to neurology as well as our understanding of the brain and the mystery of consciousness. Then, we talk about various forms of escape and how this might have a detrimental effect on our minds with the increased expsure to media and entertainment. We also talk about important religious characters like Moses, Jesus and Mohammed to more modern people like William Blake, Emanuel Swedenborg and Joseph Smith. Topics Discussed: drugs, entheogens, Rick Strassman, hallucinations, right temporal lobe activation, inspiration, creativity and madness, William Blake, hypnosis, escapism, escape from consciousness, technology & thinking, critical thinking, diminishing of consciousness, unconscious, dreams, translocative, auditory hallucination, Michael Persinger, the god helmet, temporal lobe epilepsy, the origins of religion, Jane Godall, alpha male, God, Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, Emanuel Swedenborg, Joseph Smith and more.