The Brain-Mind Relation, Religious Evolution, and Forms of Consciousness
An Exploratory Statement
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4900586 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Doyle Paul Johnson (University of South Florida, corresponding author) |
| Year | 1988 |
| Volume | 49 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 52 |
| Publication date | 1988-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Sociological Analysis (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0038-0210 • E-ISSN: 2325-7873 |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.2307/3711103 |
| OpenAlex | W2346117462 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 11 |
The major thesis of this paper is that Julian Jaynes' theory of the evolutionary transition from a bicameral mind to consciousness corresponds roughly to Robert Bellah's stage of religious evolution. This synthesis provides a perspective for relating the physiological level of brain organization, the subjective level of religious experience and consciousness, and large-scale patterns of social organization and change. Jaynes 'model of language and brain processes is compared briefly with our contemporary understanding (derived from Mead and others) of the internal conversations that are part of the subjective experience. As an alternative to evolutionism, it is suggested that both Jaynes' and Bellah 's theories can be applied to alternative forms of mentality that may exist in any historical stage with varying degrees of acceptance. A major distinction among different people in this regard is their need for external authority and their self-autonomy, especially in coping with stress. Briefly stated, the major purpose of this paper is to suggest a synthesis between Julian Jaynes' (1976) provocative thesis regarding the historic transition from a bicameral to a conscious mind and Robert Bellah's (1964) model of the stages of religious evolution. Like Bellah, Jaynes deals with the relationship between religious experience and patterns of social organization. But, unlike Bellah, Jaynes' theory of religious experience involves mental processes that, in the final analysis, reflect the physiopsychological organization of the brain. The effort to bridge several levels of analysis, ranging from the neurological organization of the brain to the social organization of total societies, is admittedly ambitious. While many sociologists have explored the relationship between consciousness and social organization, seldom do they consider the organization or physiological functioning of the brain, even though its neurological processes are the foundation for all forms of consciousness. Our
Cognitive science · Consciousness · Epistemology · Relation (database) · Statement (logic) · Computer Science · Interdisciplinary Studies: Technology, Society, and Humanities · Paranormal Experiences and Beliefs · Philosophy · Psychology · Sociology and Cultural Identity Studies
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |