Conscious Experience Reshaped What It Means to Be Human

A woman's head depicted like clouds illustrates conscious experience

How did humans develop the ability to reflect on their past and imagine their future? What would life be like if you couldn’t remember personal experiences or think about your own feelings? Julian Jaynes explores how the emergence of consciousness completely changed how humans experience the world. This mental shift gave our ancestors new cognitive abilities, including introspection and self-reflection, while also potentially creating a sense of separation from the world around them. Continue reading to understand how the rise of conscious experience reshaped what it means to be human.

How Perceptions Are Formed With the Unconscious Mind

A woman taking a bite of a chocolate bar illustrates how perceptions are formed

How are perceptions formed? Is your brain really showing you the world as it actually exists? What happens in the gap between what your senses detect and what you consciously experience? In Subliminal, Leonard Mlodinow reveals how perceptions are formed through unconscious processes that fill in gaps and filter information. Your brain doesn’t simply record reality—it actively constructs it by making inferences, combining sensory data, and drawing on past experiences. Keep reading to discover why you’ve never noticed your own blind spots and how your expectations might be changing the taste of your chocolate.

7 Elements of Consciousness & How They Shape Everyday Life

A painting of a woman's head with artistic swirls around it illustrates elements of consciousness

What exactly makes us conscious beings? How did humans develop the mental tools that allow us to think abstractly, reflect on our inner lives, and imagine the future? In his book The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind, Julian Jaynes suggests that consciousness isn’t biologically hardwired but culturally learned. He identifies seven core elements of consciousness, including metaphorical language and an internal “mind-space.” Keep reading to learn about these fascinating elements of consciousness and discover how they shape our everyday experience of being human.

Music Therapy for Autism and William’s Syndrome

A young man listening to music as a form of therapy

How can music be beneficial for those with neurodevelopmental disorders? Why can some people recognize music better than faces? In his book I Heard There Was a Secret Chord, neuroscientist and musician Daniel J. Levitin explains that music is more than just a source of pleasure. He argues that music is a powerful medicine and therapy that can be backed by science. Keep reading to take a look at the benefits of music therapy for autism spectrum disorder and William’s Syndrome.

What Is the Hard Problem? Why Consciousness Is Tricky

A man looking up with blackboard scribbles behind him illustrates the question, "What is the hard problem of consciousness?"

What is the hard problem of consciousness? What can modern science tell us about how our subjective experiences arise from objective reality? In The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind, Julian Jaynes explores the complex nature of consciousness beyond simple sensory awareness. He defines consciousness, but his theory (and everyone else’s) can’t explain what gives rise to the subjective experience of consciousness. Read on to explore theories about what consciousness is, how it evolved, and why philosophers call it “the hard problem.”

3 Benefits of Music on the Brain, Neuroscientist Explains

A baby dancing to music, displaying the benefits of music on the brain

What role does music play in childhood development? How can playing music improve your mental processing? There are many benefits of music on the brain, and neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin explains them in his book I Heard There Was a Secret Chord. From releasing oxytocin to generating empathy, music can have profound impacts on humans. Here’s a look at the top three benefits of music.

Bicameral Mentality: How Pre-Conscious Humans Thought & Acted

Bicameral Mentality: How Pre-Conscious Humans Thought & Acted

What exactly went on in the minds of our ancestors before modern consciousness emerged? How did ancient humans make decisions without the self-awareness we take for granted today? In The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind, Julian Jaynes presents a theory about human cognition before consciousness. He proposes that our ancestors operated with a bicameral mentality, where decisions came as auditory hallucinations. Keep reading to discover how Jaynes believes this ancient mental organization worked.

When Did Humans Develop Consciousness? (Jaynes)

A hand painting on a cave wall, representing when humans developed consciousness

When did humans develop consciousness? How did the development of writing fundamentally change the way our ancestors thought and made decisions? Julian Jaynes proposes that early humans relied on auditory hallucinations—voices they attributed to gods—rather than self-reflection for guidance. He believes that humans developed consciousness gradually as societies became more complex. Keep reading to explore Jaynes’s theory about how humans developed consciousness as we experience it today.