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The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind

Summary:

The book presents a theory that human consciousness emerged only recently in human history through the breakdown of a previous two-chambered mental structure, where one chamber "spoke" and the other obeyed. It suggests that before this breakdown, people experienced directives from a "god-voice" as auditory hallucinations rather than conscious thought.

Key points:

1. Bicameral Mind Theory: Jaynes suggests humans once had a divided mind, with one part "speaking" and the other obeying. He believes consciousness is learned, not inherent.

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