Garner's Greek Mythology

EP 46: Julian Jaynes & The Delphic Oracle

08.07.2022 - By Patrick GarnerPlay

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In 1976 an obscure psychologist from Princeton University published a book titled, “The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind.” It was a sensation, not in small part because Jaynes postulated that before modern consciousness occurred, the voices humans heard in their head were considered those of the gods. He pinpointed the date of this shift to around 1200 B.C. After this date, humans became self-aware, yet the Delphic Oracle remained relevant because she ...

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