From newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!torn!cs.utexas.edu!usc!sdd.hp.com!caen!nic.umass.edu!m2c!applix!chris Mon Aug 24 15:41:48 EDT 1992
Article 6692 of comp.ai.philosophy:
Path: newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!torn!cs.utexas.edu!usc!sdd.hp.com!caen!nic.umass.edu!m2c!applix!chris
>From: chris@applix.com (Chris Howell [ext 238])
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
Subject: Re: what is consciousness for?
Message-ID: <1624@applix.com>
Date: 24 Aug 92 13:00:23 GMT
References: <1992Aug18.161151.12316@mp.cs.niu.edu> <1992Aug18.181021.14352@sequent.com> <1992Aug18.195026.22179@mp.cs.niu.edu>
Organization: Applix, Inc., Westboro, MA
Lines: 24

Jaynes has an interesting idea about consciousness and culture, presented
in his "Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind."

Basically, consciousness, for Jaynes, is awareness of an individual
self. This developed after human culture was well-established. Before
consciousness, people heard gods talking to them in their heads. As the
gods became silent, people developed a sense of self-consciousness.

Odd as this is, there is historical and cultural evidence from the time
before consciousness began, so this is a testable theory, which is
more than can be said about many ideas about consciousness.

This does suggest that one should not assume that society or culture
requires consciousness. It is possible that human society was well
developed before consciousness began, and in fact, developments in human
society may have caused consciousness to arise.

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Chris Howell                   Applix, Inc.          (508) 870-0300 x238
chowell@applix.com OR          112 Turnpike Road
...!uunet!applix!chowell       Westboro MA 01581
"Oh, the cheapness of mindless calculation in this modern age!" - Roger
Penrose, in "The Emperor's New Mind", commenting on his word processor.
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