Teleology & evolution: Vocal cord development (Introduction)

by David Turell , Monday, December 19, 2016, 15:31 (2896 days ago) @ dhw

DAVID: We are in agreement. Of course sounds with meaning, words, come first.

dhw: You are agreeing with the exact opposite of what I have written. The object or thought comes first, and someone invents a word to describe it. Only after its invention does it become part of our thinking.

Objects certainly come first, and are given sounds to describe them. A thought like 'let us walk over there' has a more complex beginning. Each part of the thought has to have words developed to get rid of gesturing. I'm sure as you must think that the need for meaningful sounds created the drive for words, using the new larger brain
provided by evolution. Brain first, new words next.