If we didn't have a language like babies do we have thoughts? and is that why we don't remember early years?

Answer 1

Yes we would have thoughts if we did not have a language. Actually I focus on thinking without any language it's so much faster.

For example, emotions don't have language. Why do you think people are always asking what love is and such?

Answer 2

The reason we tend not to have memories from very early on is to do with the fact that the brain hadn't properly developed a proper long-term-memory system yet, or something like that.

As for the language issue, I think that babies certainly do have thoughts, but they just wouldn't have the words to describe them. They may however notice certain actions of others, and try to copy them, their first thoughts are what enables them to learn between right and wrong, and safe and dangerous.

Answer 3

Not remembering youth has more to do with brain development and less with language.

Memory and language are 2 separate things, you can have one without the other. Animals who lack complex speech, say a cat, still has memory, just not a language by which to express that it has memory.

So we would still have memory, just not a way to communicate what we've learned, nor a way to grasp the knowledge that others have gained other than seeing it firsthand.

Hope this makes sense.

Answer 4

part of why we don't remember the early years is because we have not formed a lot of associative neural connections yet, and those we have formed are not well organized, so there is no way to retrieve those early memories. Also pruning and a few other reasons, but that really is the basis. 90% of our cerebral cortex is formed by the age of 6 months, but it is in no way set up for memory retrieval, as experience with needing to retrieve memories is required to form those additional organized pathways.

Answer 5

As i understand it,we don't remember the early years because they are so painful,i.e. the birth,colic,teething etc...My earliest memory was when my little sister was born and i was 4..Babies must have thoughts or they wouldn't smile and recognise people..

Answer 6

Interesting question. Its one too sit and think about. My hubby recons he can remember having his nappy changed! The fear of the pin etc. I think he's talking rubbish.

Answer 7

i dont know but very good question .... i alwaysss wondered why we cant remember being born.


sh*t i cant even remember anything before like the age of 7.

Answer 8

when we were child's we had thoughts with no language till we grow up and explained it

Answer 9

That is correct