2006-12-30 09:23:57 · 25 answers · asked by Sarcastic-cheese 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
This question's answers were a revelation to me. I am a very language oriented person and your question attracted me because I have had questions as to how a baby or an animal could think as have many scientists who specialize in thinking judging by what they write. It has been written by some of these that animals and human babies under 2 years to 18 months are not even conscious! People must think in a variety of different ways judging by these answers.
I had some deaf and dumb relatives who one had to communicate with by written or sign language and they obviously didn't think in words like I do primarily. How they do think I have a hard time imagining.They are as intelligent as any auditory person. I rarelty if ever think in images except when draming or imagining a scene but in this case there are words in my mind doing a running commentary on what I'm imagining. One person answered that he thought in concepts; perhaps I do but because my "brain voice" does a running commentary on such concepts I am seldom aware of it.
What I have thought in order to get up and walk for example is probably a concept but I have been so unaware of it consciously that I thought that it was done by the subconscious or unconscious mind. So have other scientists even going so far as to say as a result of experiments that one does things (initiates acts) prior to consciously willing them done
I would have to answer in the affirmitive that a person can think to oneself and not think in a language.
2006-12-30 16:07:04 · answer #1 · answered by Mad Mac 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Good question!!! The key is not so much language as language capability. We can answer that by looking to animals and single celled creatures as well as humans who grew up without the benefit of language (who appear to be unteachable). New research shows that many animals (such as the dolphin, ape, giraffe, and groundhog), if not most, have some language skills, allowing them to plan ahead. Single celled creatures automatically think in terms of hot or not-hot, food or not-food, like a simple computer program. In between, thoughts without symbolic aids become rudimentary, reflecting a small range of desires and preferences, but surely it is thinking.
From recent research we now know that plants "do math" when planning how to grow, just as you "do math" unconsciously every time you watch the trajectory of a ball every time you figure out where your hands should go to meet it. If calculation is thinking, then that is thinking. If you mean to ask about sub-vocalized thoughts like, "Man s/he's hot," or "what will I do if she says yes?" then thoughts without language are not that kind of thinking.
2006-12-30 17:39:13 · answer #2 · answered by Benji 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Depends on what you mean by "think". Clearly our consciousness is composed of several processes and is not some monolithic thing. The fact that is seems seamless is an illusion.
Those parts that are verbal would need a language, however primitive to operate. But the rest of our consciousness would operate. The self/ego/persona does not require a verbal component although it is enhanced by being able to verbalize about itself.
2006-12-30 17:28:43 · answer #3 · answered by Alan Turing 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Images. You are not trying to communicate with others when you think to yourself. That's what language is for, communication. Simplify. Relax. Words, language are merely tools. The tree is the tree. See it and know it.
You did ask about thinking, talking to yourself may require language.
2006-12-30 17:38:01 · answer #4 · answered by character 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you mean whether a thought could exist without the language the answer is no, if you are talking about people who either lost or never had a physical ability to speak per se the answer is yes.
2006-12-30 19:50:08 · answer #5 · answered by oksana_rossi 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
yeah you don't have to even say anything to yourself in your head to be speaking any language. You just know things without saying anything or speaking anything. I don't know how we just do sometimes.
2006-12-31 15:52:46 · answer #6 · answered by Sara V 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fear, hunger, hate, love. There's no language representing these but they make up or very lives. When you're scared and you want to run, you don't think to yourself, maybe I should get out of here as quickly as possible, should I run? You just run.
2006-12-30 18:09:30 · answer #7 · answered by no name brand canned beans 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, we are wired to think in languages. A personal language would be invented.
2006-12-30 18:21:59 · answer #8 · answered by Lana Lang 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
no cause there is no language there. You may be able to think about things that are around you. You would even come up with a way to communicate in your head
2006-12-30 17:25:26 · answer #9 · answered by Nurse KeVo 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yes. How do you think babies learn? They aren't born knowing how to speak. They listen, and watch with their eyes, ears, and the other senses we're born with. Messages are sent to the brain. These senses are our first learning tools.
2006-12-30 17:26:55 · answer #10 · answered by xenypoo 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋