How can humans know something that they have never seen?

Question

I know what "car" is, but a Parrot can only know what "this" car is. I can think about "personhood" apart from any particular person, but a Gorilla can't really think about "Gorillahood"--it can only know other Gorillas it sees.

What is fundamentally different about humans that allows them to think about something that has no tangible existence?

whyyesidorule...nothing has ever made as little sense to me than your answer. Thank you.

"as" your answer, sorry.

Answer 1

Gorillas do have a sense of sentience, which means they know they are individuals. They grief, and they even miss other gorillas when left alone.
Koko the gorilla grieved for her pet cat when it died. She's also been known to lie, and make up words.
They also grieve after a loss of a baby, which I've seen in documentaries.
As for humans knowing something which they never seen; that is based on language and the ability to express thoughts. One person can tell you about their experience, (which you have not seen) and you will know it.
But if your question is about faith in God, I would ask if you believe in air. You do not see it. Do you believe in gravity? You do not see it. Do you believe in UV rays? You do not see it.

Answer 2

You are asking a good but complicated question of cognitive science my friend. The link Serena provided is good but it will not give you all the answers you're looking for. Cognitive science really only got a solid start in the early 90's, so it is a very young one.

The answer that she gave is correct - their are areas of our brains that many animals do not have as well developed as humans that allow us to think about abstract concepts. But we do know that other animals do have the ability to think about some simple abstract concepts. Chimps that can use sign language have asked to be hugged. They have rescued other chimps from possible drowning (at great personal risk too, because chimps are bad swimmers). They also sometimes use abstract thought to problem solve.

I agree with you about what you said about the parrot (I will not say that about the gorilla, since it is very difficult to know what a gorilla thinks of). Many higher animals are able to recognize one another, this again may show abstract thought. Also, animals can anticipate the idea that a certain box may contain food (so they can know more than what is in front of them).

It appears that our enormous capability for abstract thought is a difference of quantity, not quality.


Thought you may like this article:

http://cogweb.ucla.edu/Abstracts/Boesch_Tomasello_98.html

Answer 3

In simple form, it is our ability and gift of reason.

Meaning...

If "this" does this, and "that" does that, then "if" will explode into oblivion. We can figure out what "it" is going to do, even though we have never experienced "it" with our senses. By comparing things that we do know about ("this" and "that"), we can then deduce what something, that we have never seen ("it"), is going to do.

Nuclear Physics is a good example of this. Even though we cannot see, much less feel, the forces being exerted against another object, say one atom against another atom, we can calculate (Reason) how those forces are going to affect another object.

Nuclear Physics is much more complex than this, but this is the basis of how we study anything that we cannot see, hear, taste, touch, or smell.

Hope this helps!!!!

Answer 4

I think humans can know about things they haven't seen by deductive reasoning. There is a branch of mathematics known as logic taught in colleges which will lead you to true conclusions and false conclusions based on a premise and various rules in logic.

The prefrontal lobes in a human as well as other more advanced structures give a person a greater ability to understand, reason, think, as well as more insight and other attributes not normally attributed to most animals.

Answer 5

I'm stronger in structure rather than substance when it comes to the human body, but I think it's the way our brains are put together. Our brain has a large thinking center and a small "instinct" center, so our brains can contain and reference information that otherwise would not have been deemed "important" to survival. The site below gives tons of relevant information. But I'm having trouble making heads or tails of it, myself.

Answer 6

Humans have reasoning (intellect) which clearly seerates us from animal. The bible says "we were given dominium over all the animals of the earth"
Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Answer 7

humans are conscious of their own existence, this allows him to think diffrerently from other animals and causes him to think "if i do this, how would it affect others?" and the consequences of his actions and creates an untangible object that he and others humans understand.

Answer 8

The ego's manifestation in a society that affects the illogical infrastructure of our existence.

(Well, you were just ASKING for that sort of answer! : P)

Answer 9

i can't see the wind.


or santa clause. or the easter bunny.