largely aimed at zip4096, but you can chime in too!

[alexr_rwx]

For our psychology-learned readers out there: do you kids know about this fellow Julian Jaynes and bicameral mind theory? What do you guys think about this? Is the idea that consciousness as we understand it is a relatively recent development not terribly, terribly unnerving?

Also: if it turns out that this was the case, and there's some particular (apparently adaptive?) set of genes that turns on the "brain links in a particular way to produce self-awareness"... then what if not everybody has those genes yet? Three or four thousand years, on an evolutionary scale, is not a long time in the slightest.

It's also totally possible that this is all bunk. But Ashwin seems to think that it's an interesting theory, at least...

Comments

hmm

[lomonthang.livejournal.com]

I am pretty sure I dont have them genes yet. shucks

[zip4096.livejournal.com]

Thanks a bunch for bringing this to my attention :) It's flattering to have an LJ entry sort of aimed at you...

As for what I think of this theory, well, I've been thinking about it since I first read the post, and I've concluded that I can't say at the moment- I don't think I know enough about psychology in general or about the details of this theory. I have to admit though that I am a little skeptical- I wonder about what sort of evidence he offers... I think I'd have to read more about it...