Reflections on the Dawn of Consciousness: Julian Jaynes's Bicameral Mind Theory Revisited - Softcover

Marcel Kuijsten

Softcover

ISBN 10: 097907441X ISBN 13: 9780979074417

Publisher: Julian Jaynes Society, 2008

Synopsis

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 nations 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.

With chapters by Dr. Julian Jaynes, Dr. Michael Carr, Prof. Scott Greer, Dr. John Hamilton, Marcel Kuijsten, Prof. John Limber, Dr. Brian McVeigh, Prof. David Stove, June Tower, Prof. William Woodward, and a Foreword by Prof. Michael Persinger.

About this title

About the Author

Marcel Kuijsten is Founder and Executive Director of the Julian Jaynes Society. His other books are "The Julian Jaynes Collection" and "Gods, Voices, and the Bicameral Mind."

Review

"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

"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

"... Offers insights into otherwise inexplicable aspects concerning the pharaoh Tutankhamun and dragon-motifs in Shang China ... Jaynes' theory merits in my view the reassessment by the scientific community urged in this volume." --Ilkka Kallio, Helsinki, Finland, in the Journal of Consciousness Studies

"An indispensable resource for ideas on consciousness, religion, and theory of ancient civilizations ... 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." -- John Hainly, Dept. of Philosophy, Southern University

"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, Department of Human Sciences, University of Bergamo, Italy

"Gathering together both additional writings by Jaynes himself, along with thoughtful essays by scholars from a wide range of disciplines, the book both explores ways in which Jaynes's thought can be applied in specific fields of study and serves as a testimony to the centrality of the issue of consciousness to all fields of intellectual endeavor. This worthy sequel to Jaynes's original book has been a long time coming, but the wait has been worth it." --Theodore J. Remington, School of Arts & Sciences, University of Saint Francis
"Anyone who has read Jaynes s book should read Reflections on the Dawn of Consciousness for a greater appreciation of the work. Whether one agrees in whole or part, it is a testament to Jaynes s research and work that this collection of essays in Reflections either agrees with him in total or does not find a great deal to dispute concerning his theories. In the thirty years since Origin was released a great deal of research has in the main proven the man to be remarkably prescient." -- John Holt, in California Literary Review

"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." -- Klaus J. Hansen, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Dept. of History, Queen's University, Ontario

"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 Sciences

"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

"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

Edition details

• Publisher: Julian Jaynes Society
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 097907441X
• ISBN 13: 9780979074417
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 448
• Editor: Marcel Kuijsten