The God-Shaped Hole in Your Mind: Julian Jaynes’s Groundbreaking Ideas on Consciousness and the Bicameral Mind Explained in Just 16 Minutes

What if human consciousness, as we know it, is a recent invention? In this fast-paced 16-minute presentation, we explore the revolutionary theory of psychologist Julian Jaynes — a mind-bending journey into the origins of thought, the voices of ancient gods, and the breakdown of the “bicameral mind.” Whether you’re new to Jaynes’s work or revisiting his ideas with fresh eyes, you’ll leave with a new perspective on what it means to be conscious — and why that might not be as timeless as we think.

Produced by Marcel Kuijsten.

Learn more about Julian Jaynes's theory or become a member by visiting the Julian Jaynes Society at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.julianjaynes.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Read our latest book, "Conversations on Consciousness and the Bicameral Mind":

https://www.julianjaynes.org/book/conversations-on-consciousness-and-the-bicameral-mind/

Bicameral Mentality in Ancient Mesopotamia: A Deep Dive Discussion

A deep dive discussion delving into the evidence for bicameral mentality in ancient Mesopotamia, building on Julian Jaynes's chapter "A Change of Mind in Mesopotamia" by drawing upon a wide range of scholarly sources.

Produced by Marcel Kuijsten. Introduction read by Michael R. Jacobs (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theungoogleable.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VoidDenizen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠).

Read the transcript: https://www.julianjaynes.org/2025/07/30/bicameral-mentality-in-ancient-mesopotamia/

Learn more about Julian Jaynes's theory or become a member by visiting the Julian Jaynes Society at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.julianjaynes.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Conversations on Consciousness and the Bicameral Mind: A Deep Dive Book Discussion

A deep dive discussion delving into the book "Conversations on Consciousness and the Bicameral Mind: Interviews with Leading Thinkers on Julian Jaynes's Theory."

This book is highly recommended for those new to Julian Jaynes and long time Jaynes enthusiasts alike:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1737305534/

Introduction read by Michael R. Jacobs (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theungoogleable.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VoidDenizen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠).

Learn more about Julian Jaynes's theory or become a member by visiting the Julian Jaynes Society at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.julianjaynes.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Contents:

00:00 - Introduction

03:12 - Resistance to New Ideas

03:52 - Defining Consciousness

09:40 - Consciousness and Language Part 1

13:38 - When Consciousness Developed

16:39 - Comparing the Iliad and the Odyssey

18:30 - The Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind

19:35 - Vestiges of Bicameral Mentality

19:59 - Hearing Voices

24:02 - The Feeling of a Sensed Presence

25:18 - Hypnosis

27:58 - Creative Inspiration

28:40 - The Evolution of Religion

30:28 - Spirit Possession

30:54 - Cave Art

31:25 - Seeking External Authorization

32:18 - Consciousness and Language Part 2

35:55 - Jaynes's Neurological Model

41:17 - Implications of the Theory

45:20 - The Future of Consciousness

47:00 - Concluding Remarks