Can one think without languge?

[Renzokuken]

Bees communicate through dance

Hey, me too!

 

[Barney Stinson]

this is stupid. language was invented by people which would have been impossible without thought.

If I flicked you off, would you understand what it was? That's language. If I did this :acclaim would you understand? That's language.

Language doesn't have to be words or anything like that, free your mind.

 

[torrid mind]

this is stupid. language was invented by people which would have been impossible without thought.

Thank
you
CB.

end of discussion.

 

[Barney Stinson]

It's not the end of discussion by a long shot. It's a cheap way to make it seem like he's right, however as it's already been explained there are more than just spoken or written languages.

Bee's communicate through dance, did people invent their language so they can talk to each other? Didn't think so.

So I ask again, is it possible to think without language?

 

[torrid mind]

yes, it is possible to think without language.
I think that is what we are both getting at...

 

[Jim Morrison]

People invented language as a way to express themselves. Language is used to describe abstract things like love and hate. Eventually over time language was created as a way to express abstract things.


PRETYYYY MCUH

 

[Barney Stinson]

But people arn't the only things that have language, and they sure didn't dictate what the bee's dances or vibrations mean.

So, again, is it possible to think without language?

 

[Jim Morrison]

But people arn't the only things that have language, and they sure didn't dictate what the bee's dances or vibrations mean.

So, again, is it possible to think without language?

abstract doesnt only apply to humans imo, a way of expressing yourself changes between humans and bees. We spoke, they danced.

 

[concrete_sox]

how would a person who is blind and deaf think

 

[Barney Stinson]

abstract doesnt only apply to humans imo, a way of expressing yourself changes between humans and bees. We spoke, they danced.

Yet both are ways of conveying a message, therefore it is language.

Cheeze, Hellen Keller was both blind and deaf, and...well, you should know.

 

[Jim Morrison]

Yet both are ways of conveying a message, therefore it is language.

Cheeze, Hellen Keller was both blind and deaf, and...well, you should know.

And humans and bees thought before they danced or spoke.

 

[Barney Stinson]

Ok, so by that note does a 2 hour old baby think?

 

[Renzokuken]

Yes. For the love of God, yes.

When you think, you think in a language. So therefore thinking means you have a language. You cannot think without a language.

 

[Lizardbreath]

actually mike if you flick somebody off it's just body language. Didn't you know that CAVEMEN DID THIS?

 

[Barney Stinson]

Yes. For the love of God, yes.

When you think, you think in a language. So therefore thinking means you have a language. You cannot think without a language.

Ok, so how does a 3 hour old baby know language? Crying isn't language persae, but more of an automatic reaction / instinct.

And LB, I've said that, like 10 times. However, Body LANGUAGE is still LANGUAGE.

 

[Lizardbreath]

I was agreeing with you.

 

[Renzokuken]

Ok, so how does a 3 hour old baby know language? Crying isn't language persae, but more of an automatic reaction / instinct.

If a baby is crying, it is conveying it's state (Hungry, diaper change, tired) to it's mother/father. That's language.

 

[CelestialBadger]

Language is defined by a set of symbols and meanings.

It's not the end of discussion by a long shot. It's a cheap way to make it seem like he's right, however as it's already been explained there are more than just spoken or written languages.

are you changing your original definition just so you can keep arguing?

If I flicked you off, would you understand what it was? That's language. If I did this would you understand? That's language.

Language doesn't have to be words or anything like that, free your mind.

If you flicked me off and I didn't understand the concept of the middle finger (something that incidentally evolved way after the creation of spoken language) I doubt I'd care

anyway, the original discussion was can someone think without language so I'll stick to that and I'll stick to what I said. It looks like you're arguing I'm wrong now because I guess you think body/other forms of non-verbal language mean that even if you're not using a verbal form of language some form is being used every time you think. Which assumes what...? if you flick me off yes, that's a form of language but it's presupposed by a thought which doesn't necessarily have to involve language.

picture through some amazing twist of nature that we had evolved without bodies just as giant brains. there'd be no possible way for us to communicate and it looks like you're trying to say that because we wouldn't be able to communicate (through body language, dance, what have you) we wouldn't be able to think. I don't buy that.

 

[Barney Stinson]

Someone shrugging their shoulder is considered a SYMBOL with MEANING for body LANGUAGE. Just beacause it's not a spoken or written LANGUAGE doesn't mean that it isn't LANGUAGE.

A jellyfish has no real way of "communicating" in terms that normal humans can understand, but intense study and observation show that they use their tenticles as a form of communicating through the pack. That's language. If we were just giant brains that were somehow able to sustain life would there inherently be this way of communicating? No, but that doesn't mean that the language wouldn't be out there.

I'm not saying either way that we can think or we can't think. I'm just wondering what you all think.

 

[Theroy]

So if you were to take a young baby put it in a room where it we fed and kept alive by machines with no outside influences when he/she grew up they would lack the ability to think...? I doubt it