Episode · Stuff You Should Know · 2026-05-06

Books mentioned on Selects: Thrill to the Stunning Bicameral Mind Hypothesis | STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW

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Josh Clark discussed The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes.

Books mentioned, in the order they came up

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1. 

   The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind

   Julian Jaynes · at 19:18 · mentioned 2 times

   The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes is a provocative 1976 psychological study proposing that ancient humans were not consciously self-aware but instead operated with a bicameral mind that heard divine auditory hallucinations.

   Discussed

   “And this is from the actual book in 1976 and it's a little little mind-blowy. I kind of like it. Consciousness is a much smaller part of our mental life than we're conscious of.”

   Josh Clark Selects: Thrill to the Stunning Bicameral Mind Hypothesis | STUFF YOU … 2026-05-06 Listen at 19:18

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