Brian McVeigh - When the Gods Fell Silent

As we’re currently discussing the Illiad and the Odyssey, I thought it was an opportune moment to revisit my conversation with Brian McVeigh about Julian Jaynes’ theory on the origins of consciousness. Jaynes believed that early humans lacked coordination between the two hemispheres of their brain. Consequently, they didn’t possess a sense of self, operating on a kind of autopilot. They would hear voices in their heads as the two hemispheres functioned independently. Without explanation, earl...