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vegnus • yesterday at 2:43 PM • 3 replies • view on HN

I always found the Jaynes' Bicameral Mind theory interesting, hypothesizing essentially Bronze age peoples did not have conscious thought, but attributed their thoughts to gods speaking to them. It's probably not true, but it's kind of like an era that can only exist through mythology and legend. So when actual details are discovered, and a little bit of the darkness is lifted, I always find it interesting


Replies

pfdietz • yesterday at 3:06 PM

I always found it completely implausible, even outright ridiculous.

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Lumich • yesterday at 5:44 PM

« hypothesizing essentially Bronze age peoples did not have conscious thought, but attributed their thoughts to gods speaking to them »

The Mesoamerican advanced Stone Age peoples who had an ongoing encounter with the Spaniards certainly did have conscious thought, despite their gods. Why would Bronze Age peoples have been different in that respect?

timcobb • yesterday at 3:49 PM

Thank you, yeah, it is very much a fascinating time.