How children pick up a language: new review of Wolfe (Humans)

by dhw, Wednesday, October 26, 2016, 12:26 (2949 days ago) @ David Turell

dhw: You include God’s actions in your explanation of every single innovation and natural wonder. That is why there seems little point in isolating human self-consciousness and language, when according to you evolutionary theory explains none of the developments from bacteria to humans. They ALL require your God's planning or intervention.

DAVID: The only way evolution could have proceeded. Chance doesn't work.

dhw: Who said chance was the only alternative to divine preprogramming and dabbling? And once again, if God specially planned every single innovation and natural wonder, there is not much point in isolating human self-consciousness and language.

DAVID: Please explain your meaning: "isolating human self-consciousness" in this context. I find it obscure.

The starting point of this discussion was the review of Wolfe’s book, focusing on human self-consciousness and language:

QUOTE: Evolutionary theory is no closer than it was in Darwin’s day to explaining in materialist terms how traits like self-consciousness and language came to be.

dhw: It is not just self-consciousness but consciousness itself that is unexplained. Self-consciousness is an extension of consciousness, and I do not put human language in the same category of inexplicability. Once you have enhanced consciousness, it seems to me inevitable that you should need enhanced modes of expression, since all organisms need to communicate what matters to them.

DAVID: I agree, but would include God's actions.

Since you include God’s actions to explain EVERY innovation and natural wonder, I was simply asking what is the point in singling out (“isolating”) human self-consciousness and language? They are apparently no more demanding of your God's attention than the weaverbird's nest. And ALL consciousness - not just human self-consciousness - is a mystery. As for human language, I think it is perfectly explicable by evolutionary theory, as I have indicated.