General Question

rebbel's avatar

If communication through language hadn't occurred in the evolution of men, would there have been thought?

Asked by rebbel (35547points) January 7th, 2022
16 responses
“Great Question” (0points)

And, if there hadn’t, would men have been on the same level (communication wise) as animals?

The second part of the question is an afterthought; I’m more interested in part one, about thought.

Observing members: 0
Composing members: 0

Answers

Patty_Melt's avatar

There is evidence of thought in critters without language.

Evidence of language, without thought.

Humans

I think without language, technology would be limited, but certainly there would have been thought, and learning.

Patty_Melt (17513points)“Great Answer” (3points)
flutherother's avatar

Sure, there was thought before language. “Deer often come through the woods at evening to drink at this lake.” I’m sure observations and thoughts like this often occurred to prehistoric man before he developed language.

flutherother (34519points)“Great Answer” (4points)
ragingloli's avatar

Thought is not limited to literally having words in your head.
You can think in images, sounds, smells, sensations, emotions. All things that cave humans had before they invented speech. Also all things that are not limited to humans, either.

ragingloli (51958points)“Great Answer” (3points)
kritiper's avatar

It’s difficult to have worded thoughts without language. Worded thoughts are, basically, conscious thought in humans. Our automatic, un-worded thought reactions are subconscious thought for the most part. Man is capable of both conscious (thinking, worded) thought and subconscious (reactionary) thought.
Animals only react in a un-worded subconscious way since they only possess the ability for subconscious (reactionary) thought. They don’t think consciously like humans do. They have no ability to determine “I” (self) and how it relates to them.

kritiper (25757points)“Great Answer” (1points)
Forever_Free's avatar

It exists now with unworded thoughts, unworded reactions.
There are different levels for all animals so we would just be in a large ranking.

Forever_Free (8556points)“Great Answer” (3points)
Blackwater_Park's avatar

You don’t need words to solve problems in your head.

Blackwater_Park (8566points)“Great Answer” (3points)
Six's avatar

I think thought must precede language.

Six (948points)“Great Answer” (3points)
SnipSnip's avatar

There has always been thought.

SnipSnip (6768points)“Great Answer” (0points)
kritiper's avatar

@Blackwater_Park You don’t need a conscious mind to solve problems either.

kritiper (25757points)“Great Answer” (1points)
Blackwater_Park's avatar

@kritiper That’s something else entirely

Blackwater_Park (8566points)“Great Answer” (1points)
kritiper's avatar

@Blackwater_Park I’m sorry but I don’t know which mind you refer to. Only the conscious mind uses words. The subconscious mind uses logic, which doesn’t require words.

kritiper (25757points)“Great Answer” (1points)
LostInParadise's avatar

I can’t imagine how the concept of number and counting could have occurred without language.

LostInParadise (31905points)“Great Answer” (1points)
ragingloli's avatar

Yes, a mystery.
It is well known that humans only evolved fingers after they invented numbers.

ragingloli (51958points)“Great Answer” (4points)
rebbel's avatar

Lol, @ragingloli :-)

rebbel (35547points)“Great Answer” (1points)
LostInParadise's avatar

@ragingloli , Fingers are okay for counting up to 10, but then what? The idea of assigning symbols 0 to 9 to them and having a place value system requires abstract thinking, which in turn requires language.

LostInParadise (31905points)“Great Answer” (2points)
Blackwater_Park's avatar

Could be why our primary number system is base 10

Blackwater_Park (8566points)“Great Answer” (1points)

Answer this question

Login

or

Join

to answer.

Older »
(NSFW) Why does my boyfriend always slap my butt?
« Newer
[Potentially NSFW] What do you consider an affair (in ...

Mobile | Desktop


Send Feedback   

`