4 ms·

Seems unlikely to me, but of course this is all pure conjecture. If human history is any lesson, we've only been able to increase our levels of technology becau

by Silfen 11y ago

Seems unlikely to me, but of course this is all pure conjecture. If human history is any lesson, we've only been able to increase our levels of technology because of positive feedback loops facilitated by our ability to communicate. Could you build a better $technology without the relevant domain knowledge, passed down to you through human language? I seriously doubt it. Instead of making incremental improvements, you'd have to come up with the entire concept from scratch. Edit: Individuals may be smart with or without language. I believe that to be an open question. But technology is the domain of culture, and communication between individuals (diffusion and reuse of ideas, especially) becomes a lot more important.

grecy 11y ago
Of course, I left it vague - who knows, maybe the aliens (i.e. any life form) are communicating in ways we can even detect? Maybe we're simply not intelligent enough to realize that our own form of communication is actually very primitive, and a sign of little intelligence, not great intelligence.
- 1stop 11y ago
  Then you have changed the point you are making. Intelligence does require communication. You admit that yourself now.
  - robotkilla 11y ago
    >Intelligence does require communication The claim he made is that people think intelligence requires linguistics - he then goes on to say that aliens may be communicating in some different way that doesn't require linguistics. At any rate, a number of the arguments made in this thread are absolutely absurd. Of course intelligence doesn't require linguistics - linguistics is merely one of the markers of intelligence. And of course creatures can communicate without language - it happens in nature every day.
    - cscurmudgeon 11y ago
      Linguistics is about communication. Language is not spoken language. That is the common definition. The absurd comments in this thread are those which confuse communication and linguistics to that involving just sounds.

by Silfen 11y ago

grecy 11y ago

Of course, I left it vague - who knows, maybe the aliens (i.e. any life form) are communicating in ways we can even detect? Maybe we're simply not intelligent enough to realize that our own form of communication is actually very primitive, and a sign of little intelligence, not great intelligence.

1stop 11y ago
Then you have changed the point you are making. Intelligence does require communication. You admit that yourself now.
- robotkilla 11y ago
  >Intelligence does require communication The claim he made is that people think intelligence requires linguistics - he then goes on to say that aliens may be communicating in some different way that doesn't require linguistics. At any rate, a number of the arguments made in this thread are absolutely absurd. Of course intelligence doesn't require linguistics - linguistics is merely one of the markers of intelligence. And of course creatures can communicate without language - it happens in nature every day.
  - cscurmudgeon 11y ago
    Linguistics is about communication. Language is not spoken language. That is the common definition. The absurd comments in this thread are those which confuse communication and linguistics to that involving just sounds.