As anyone who struggles to remember the six figure number you are required to punch onto your phone screen as part of the two factor confirmation process, it is far easier to repeat a number if you say it out loud to yourself.

Chanting, especially group chanting, as initiated by a wise person, is a means by which memories can be bought forth into the here and now.

Every time I ask George the Labrador to SIT, he recalls that bright sunny morning when he was a puppy and he realised what was in my mind was symbolised by me making that strange noise.

Dogs LOVE to learn words, they are magical and they increase the dogs degree of intimacy and trust with their leader.

I think this is one of the best videos you've made so far. Granted most of them are really really good, so saying this one is better than the others puts it in really high regard.

Never been this excited for a sequel on YouTube, let’s go!

The Cult of the Skull. So metal.

Julian Jaynes's bicameral mind theory is largely regarded by mainstream science and academia as speculative and implausible, though it retains a dedicated group of proponents and a strong presence in popular science.

Upvote! Upvote!  Your previous video about Julian Jaynes book hooked me on his (audio)book, and I'm most of the way through. AND I appreciate your presentation of the material as a philologist.  Please keep keeping on. Julian Jaynes mentions in his book that he intended to write a follow-on book or books.  What an interesting read it might have been.  And so what interesting content you still have to share.  Many thanks.

Thank you for this, Keegan. I tried to read this book in 1980 but struggled and never finished it. I actually had forgotten it until the algorithm brought your channel to my attention. What a great breakdown of Jaynes theory. You have made it very accessible. I also deeply appreciate your “review” on “Religion and Nothingness” of which I had received an advanced copy from UC Berkeley Press.  It is a joy to listen to you discuss such things!

Fascinating idea and great content. I m hooked to it. Joining in on Patreon.

One potential example of the decay of the voice of the Gods: at the Alexandrian temple of Serapis there was apparently a mechanism built into the god's mouth that allowed priests to actually speak through it, as though the god was speaking. So that make it appear that by late antiquity the imagination needed a theatrical aid, the god wasn't heard internally any longer.

Interesting idea, but what about "gods of wisdom?" Doesn't a god of wisdom, wisdom being a self-reflective element of humanity, carry all the indicators of consciousness (i.e.: "inner space") as we would recognize it today? 🤔

Ok so I think I figured out. These “commands from gods” seems people experiencing internal monologues intermittently, maybe for the first time. Now writing and reading “gives you” an internal monologue, therefore you know that voice in your head is your voice, not from the gods. They didn’t have the same understanding back then

This is what the internet was made for. Thank you

The moment you said "dominance hierarchy", a sharp pain shot through my brain.

People are getting caught up in the fact that this theory of Jayne’s was highly contrived. The truth is there was an unparalleled genius in opening up one of the most important questions about  consciousness. Keegan was totally right to point out that Nietzsche  anticipated this. It is very odd that as important as it was, no one else followed it up. In this regard,  I will say that there are two consciousnesses and we are living in the wrong one.

Happy new year Keegan ! Love your videos.

I've always found the idea of our current conscious experience emerging from some other form, and that this is captured in our mythology, pretty compelling. This idea of reaching a limit to certain kinds of "group consciousness" reminds me of the Babel story. The idea that a structure is built too big and ultimately fails, leading to a bunch of people who can no longer communicate. Move a few pieces around and its easy to imagine it as a way of articulating an inability to hold disparate world views (gods, organizing principals/voices) into a cohesive whole at scale and chaos ensuing.

I have read Julian Jaynes book "The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind" twice.  I enjoyed listening to this interpretation with added historical perspective!

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and understanding on the subjects I find your videos fascinating

It's more of a holarchic structure, because the power of the entity is dependent on the number of people who give it power and attention. It's only at the top because of those below it

Great work!