The Origin of Consciousness (2008)

Julian Jaynes' theory, presented in "The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind," proposes that human consciousness is a relatively recent development, emerging only about 3,000 years ago and requiring language and metaphorical thought as prerequisites. Jaynes argues that consciousness is a historical event that postdates major civilizational achievements like agriculture, metalworking, and writing, and he attempts to find evidence of this transition in historical records.