"We know too much to command ourselves very far."
Julian Jaynes was an American psychologist who worked at the universities of Yale and Princeton for nearly 25 years and became best known for his 1976 book The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind. His work focused on the problem of consciousness: "the difference between what others see of us and our sense of our inner selves and the deep feelings that sustain it. ... Men
"The central assertion of this view, I repeat, is that each new stage of words literally created new perceptions and attentions, and such new perceptions and attentions resulted in important cultural changes which are reflected in the archaeological record."
Julian Jaynes"This breakdown in the bicameral mind in what is called the Intermediate Period is reminiscent at least of those periodic breakdowns of Mayan civilizations when all authority suddenly collapsed, and the population melted back into tribal living in the jungles."
Julian Jaynes"What is the meaning of life?" This question has no answer except in the history of how it came to be asked. There is no answer because words have meaning, not life or persons or the universe itself. Our search for certainty rests in our attempts at understanding the history of all individual selves and all civilizations. Beyond that, there is only awe."
Julian Jaynes"Consciousness is a much smaller part of our mental life than we are conscious of, because we cannot be conscious of what we are not conscious of."
Julian Jaynes"These esoteric poses of philosophy and even the paper theories of behaviorists are mere subterfuges to avoid the material we are talking about."
Julian Jaynes"The Trojan War was directed by hallucinations. And the soldiers who were so directed were not at all like us. They were noble automatons who knew not what they did."
Julian Jaynes