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Reflections on the Dawn of Consciousness:
Julian Jaynes's Bicameral Mind Theory Revisited
Announcing the first major new work on Julian Jaynes's bicameral mind theory since the publication of The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind.
Summary
Why are gods and idols ubiquitous throughout the ancient world? What is the relationship of consciousness and language? How is it that oracles came to influence entire civilizations such as Greece? If consciousness arose far back in human evolution, how can it so easily be altered in hypnosis and "possession"? Is modern schizophrenia a vestige of an earlier mentality? These are just some of the difficult questions addressed by Julian Jaynes's influential and controversial theory of the origin of subjective consciousness or the "modern mind." This book includes an in-depth biography of Julian Jaynes, essays by Jaynes, and the discussion and analysis of Jaynes's theory from a variety of perspectives such as clinical psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, anthropology, linguistics, and ancient history.
Reviews
"In this book Marcel Kuijsten and his colleagues have integrated a quintessential collection of original thoughts concerning Jaynes's concepts as well as some of Jaynes's original essays. I have rarely read a manuscript that so eloquently and elegantly examines a complex and pervasive phenomenon. The contributors of this volume have integrated the concepts of psychology, anthropology, archaeology, theology, philosophy, the history of science, and modern neuroscience with such clarity it should be considered an essential text for any student of human experience."
— From the Foreword by Dr. Michael A. Persinger, Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience,
Biomolecular Sciences Program, Laurentian University
"Reflections on the Dawn of Consciousness is ... an accessible re-introduction to Julian Jaynes, whose wondrous and wonderful The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind first brought to public awareness the 'invisible mansion of all moods, musings, and mysteries ... the introcosm' that is consciousness."
— Richard M. Restak, M.D., Clinical Professor of Neurology
George Washington Hospital University, School of Medicine and Health
author of The Naked Brain and Mozart's Brain and the Fighter Pilot
"An indispensable resource for ideas on consciousness, religion, and theory of ancient civilizations. Includes various authors including some important but lesser known articles by Julian Jaynes himself. Interdisciplinary, insightful, provocative, in the original spirit of Jaynes' seminal work, The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind, but goes well beyond mere support and evidence of that work. Contains profuse notes and bibliographies for each article."
— John Hainly, Dept. of Philosophy, Southern University, LA
"Blending biography with analytical and critical discussions and evaluations, this volume presents a rounded picture of Jaynes as an individual and scholar, while not shrinking from controversial and difficult issues. ... It is hoped that this volume will help clarify misunderstandings and stimulate the continuing pursuit of consciousness in the Jaynesian spirit."
— Klaus J. Hansen, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus
Dept. of History, Queen's University, Ontario
author of Mormonism and the American Experience
"New ideas that shake up the status of human beings relative to their world have never gone down easily, from Galileo to Darwin to Jaynes. Yet, over the past three decades, a dozen or so scholars have gambled their reputations on the possibility that Jaynes may be right. Gathered in this volume, their research provides hard data in support of Jaynes's claims. ... Such information holds the power to restore mystery and wonder to the world we thought we knew."
— Julie Kane, Ph.D., Associate Professor,
Dept. of Language & Communication, Northwestern State University
"This is a beautifully arranged tribute to Jaynes with a broad mix of contributions about aspects of his theory. In new and convincing linguistic evidence, Chinese characters evolve in form and meaning as the ritual for accessing ancestral voices devolves from 'serene' personators to 'frenzied' shamans to 'drunken revelry.'"
— Carole Brooks Platt, Ph.D.
independent scholar
"A book which ... after 30 years and in light of new research and ideas, introduces again Jaynes's theory to a scientific world that, now, may be ready to accept it."
— Roberto Bottini, Dept. of Human Sciences
University of Bergamo, Italy
"Long awaited and worth the wait. ... For three decades I have been enthralled by the ideas put forth in Julian Jaynes's The Origin of Consciousness In the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind and have been waiting in vain (until now) for a follow-up volume. Reflections On the Dawn of Consciousness is a collection of incisive essays by Julian Jaynes himself and by others, commenting on and extending his previously published work."
— Bruce Trinque, Amston, CT
"A commendable follow-up to The Origin of Consciousness ... Anyone fascinated and moved by Origin will find much of interest in this collection..."
— Scott Driver, Tucson, AZ
