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New Member - A Layman!

Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 5:00 pm
by rheiman
Yes, that's right. I don't even have a college degree - but, when I came across a reference to "The Origin..." while doing some online reading, I became very excited. For many years, I've entertained the idea that ancient Man was not quite like modern Man. It was on the back burner in my mind because, over the years, I'd read many ancient writings and dabbled in ancient history. On top of that, I have a passion for languages. Especially Semitic languages. It always seemed to me that all words we use for abstract concepts have their origins only in the most mundane of things. The Hebrew words for "soul" for example (nefesh and neshama) both literally mean "breath". One of those words (nefesh) also takes on the meaning of "self" in both Hebrew and Arabic (nafs). Clearly, when proto-Semitic was taking shape, there was no specific word for "self"; it had to be borrowed from the word for "breath". Or so it seems to me. There were many hints, along the path that has been my life, pointing to Jaynes theories. To see them spelled out, built upon, supported and presented so well by Julian Jaynes was thrilling for me. While reading "The Origin", it saddened me that the book didn't go on forever.

Now I'm reading "Reflections..." and am enjoying it as well.

I look forward to participating in this forum and meeting some of y'all one day in person.

Re: New member - a layman!

Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 11:26 am
by WS1
Welcome to the board from another layman. :)

Re: New member - a layman!

Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 2:29 pm
by rheiman
Ahh... Winston Smith. If I'm not mistaken, I recognize you from elsewhere, in another battlefield of controversial ideas. It's a pleasure to be here and thanks for the welcome!

Re: New member - a layman!

Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 2:32 pm
by WS1
As they say on teh internetz, LOL. Would that be the infamous battleground known as the "Outlaws"? If so, I've now retired from there. :lol:

Re: New member - a layman!

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 3:19 pm
by Moderator
Welcome aboard rheiman.

We have a number of conferences and lectures at conferences planned for 2010 and 2011 so hopefully we will meet in person at some point.

Re: New member - a layman!

Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2009 12:15 am
by rheiman
Moderator wrote:Welcome aboard rheiman.

We have a number of conferences and lectures at conferences planned for 2010 and 2011 so hopefully we will meet in person at some point.
Yes, that would be great. We may have already met in the past. I used to work at the (now defunct) Circuit City in Henderson, NV. This was about five years ago.

Re: New member - a layman!

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 3:21 pm
by Moderator
I definitely was in there...

Re: New member - a layman!

Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 9:37 pm
by Obdurately Conscious
rheiman wrote:Yes, that's right. I don't even have a college degree - but, when I came across a reference to "The Origin..." while doing some online reading, I became very excited. For many years, I've entertained the idea that ancient Man was not quite like modern Man. It was on the back burner in my mind because, over the years, I'd read many ancient writings and dabbled in ancient history. On top of that, I have a passion for languages. Especially Semitic languages. It always seemed to me that all words we use for abstract concepts have their origins only in the most mundane of things. The Hebrew words for "soul" for example (nefesh and neshama) both literally mean "breath". One of those words (nefesh) also takes on the meaning of "self" in both Hebrew and Arabic (nafs). Clearly, when proto-Semitic was taking shape, there was no specific word for "self"; it had to be borrowed from the word for "breath". Or so it seems to me. There were many hints, along the path that has been my life, pointing to Jaynes theories. To see them spelled out, built upon, supported and presented so well by Julian Jaynes was thrilling for me. While reading "The Origin", it saddened me that the book didn't go on forever.

Now I'm reading "Reflections..." and am enjoying it as well.

I look forward to participating in this forum and meeting some of y'all one day in person.
Very well sated! I haven't been here in a while, and you've joined in the meantime, and you express my exact experience with the book. I have recently been reading Joseph Campbell and watching his Mythos lectures which although not directly related to what Jaynes said, there is quite a bit of interwoven material in terms of looking at history, artifacts from ancient civilizations, gods and our relation to them and why they are there. I can't wait to delve into the new book and reread The Origin.