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> Thoughts that 'bubble up' all the way to linguistic representation in the mind are definitely conscious, while it's also possible to make some sense out of br
by drb91 8y ago
> Thoughts that 'bubble up' all the way to linguistic representation in the mind are definitely conscious, while it's also possible to make some sense out of brain activity that doesn't quite find words. For example, playing ping pong or some other sport would be exceedingly difficult if you had to use the linguistic part of your brain in order to make sense of what you're doing.
Conscious brain activity always struck me as the primary meaning of "thought". The idea of conflating "thought" with unconscious brain activity just seems to devalue the word itself rather than bring some utility or added understanding to the table.
Personally, I don't think of breathing as a thought at all, or my heart beating, even though it's evidently controlled by the brain, evidently also the source of thoughts. I only really ever have evidence of thoughts as distinct from other brain functions because I experience them consciously.
- Retric 8y agoI regularly have non linguistic thoughts. Picture trying to pack a suitcase into the nearly full list trunk of your car and it's all objects not words. Chess is a great example you picture a 'move' as a new layout. Practicing physical activities falls under the same kind of thing where I can focus on where to place my foot or when to breathe etc even when not doing the activity.
- vinceguidry 8y agoPersonally, I believe it's the same part of your brain that forms words that also thinks conceptually. Words are never that far from human cognition. If you want to get a sense for what non-linguistic thought would be, think more like your dog. The two language areas are the only functional difference between us and the animals. Once you start getting into the realm of things that dogs or other animals can't do, you're thinking linguistically.
- Retric 8y agoThis is the kind of thing you can look at using MRI scans and not all thoughts involve the linguistic centers of the brain.
- vinceguidry 8y agoI'm not disputing that and I left my MRI machine in my other pants, so we'll have to go on intuition until someone with an MRI decides to investigate.
- btmorex 8y agoPlease explain https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphasia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphasia then My own personal anecdotal experience is that thinking in words is far, far slower than skipping them and sticking to concepts and connections.
- vinceguidry 8y agoWhat's there to explain? There's two parts of the brain involved in speech generation, damage one of them and you suddenly lose the ability to work with words. Depending on the extent of the damage, you will lose various comprehension abilities. Like I stated earlier, I don't think all cognition is linguistic in nature, but I think you'll definitely lose 'something' if you break your language part. My argument is that without language, we'll be present-focused and unable to appreciate conceptual subtleties, due to the inability to name and remix thoughts. Like other nonverbal mammals.
- perl4ever 8y agoI find words are my most effective path to concepts and connections. It might be related to how early you learn to read or innate brain wiring.
- taneq 8y ago> My own personal anecdotal experience is that thinking in words is far, far slower than skipping them and sticking to concepts and connections. I find this as well. I've often caught myself waiting for my inner monologue to finish narrating a thought while simultaneously being fully aware that I've finished the reasoning part and already know the answer. When this happens I actively try to let go of the narration and just take the results and run with them. It's difficult but sometimes doable, and (for me at least) there's about an order of magnitude speedup.
- dingo_bat 8y ago> Words are never that far from human cognition. If true, I wonder how humans thought before language had evolved. Sounds like hell.
- perl4ever 8y agoI think verbal vs. spatial or other kinds of thought play different roles with different people. I find converting a problem to words helps even if it's an abstract programming problem that's no more inherently verbal than packing your car. Other people might prefer visual or mathematical approaches. I find written input to be an extremely good method of converting information to thoughts, but spoken words are far less effective for me.
- drb91 8y agoSure, I can accept that. I think plenty of thoughts are non-linguistic.