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I love this idea. I suspect it is utterly wrong, but it is wonderful speculation nonetheless. Both Snowcrash by Neal Stevenson and Distraction by Bruce Sterlin
by lotsofmangos 12y ago
I love this idea. I suspect it is utterly wrong, but it is wonderful speculation nonetheless.
Both Snowcrash by Neal Stevenson and Distraction by Bruce Sterling make good use of some of the concepts from it, so even if it is wrong, it has helped in the genesis of some great fiction.
- asimpletune 12y agoInteresting, I've never heard those authors I'll have to check them out. Can you say what you think about Jaynes's theory is wrong and why?
- lotsofmangos 12y agoHis theory only makes sense if you set a very low bar on other mammalian consciousness, indeed it is an attempt to explain how we became conscious when other animals are not. If on the other hand you think that many of the mental states he is trying to find explanations for are already extant in several other species, then the problem he is seeking to address simply doesn't exist.
- extra88 12y agoThe first is "Neal Stephenson," no "v." I enjoy both but much prefer Sterling's earlier work (Islands in the Net, Schismatrix, Heavy Weather).
- lotsofmangos 12y agoOops. thanks for picking up on that. I haven't read Islands in the Net or Schismatrix yet. I should really get around to them at some point. Heavy Weather was pretty good, there's a copy of that within three feet of me right now.
- blincoln 12y agoStephenson's first novel (<i>The Big U</i>) also makes use of the "Bicameral Mind" theory. It was out of print for a long time, but I thought it was a good read.