Dennett has written that he sees Jaynes’s theory as a modular theory, and that the historical hallucinations part is one part that he would like to discard, but that his ideas about consciousness coming from “talking to yourself” are spot on.
In any case, Jaynes is careful to say that he doesn’t take any of it too literally and his thoughts are only suggestions and musings on how consciousness might have originated. Some of his critics seem to miss the larger picture and get caught up on factual details. Jaynes’s book is really about large philosophical ideas, not historical facts.
Dennett has written that he sees Jaynes’s theory as a modular theory, and that the historical hallucinations part is one part that he would like to discard, but that his ideas about consciousness coming from “talking to yourself” are spot on.
In any case, Jaynes is careful to say that he doesn’t take any of it too literally and his thoughts are only suggestions and musings on how consciousness might have originated. Some of his critics seem to miss the larger picture and get caught up on factual details. Jaynes’s book is really about large philosophical ideas, not historical facts.