Teleology & evolution: Vocal cord development (Introduction)

by dhw, Wednesday, December 21, 2016, 17:51 (2894 days ago) @ David Turell

dhw: The fact that some thoughts are more complex than others does not mean that the invention of the words precedes the thought!

DAVID: 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.

dhw: I don’t understand your syntax, but yes, I believe the need for meaningful sounds to express each thought/object/perception/suggestion/decision etc. created the drive for words. And yes, I believe humans use their brain, just as our fellow animals do. And yes, without a brain, humans would not be able to think the thoughts that require the sounds out of which humans have made words. How does this support your view that the sounds/words were invented before the objects/thoughts they describe?

DAVID: I think in words. How do you think? My dog goes to the kitchen for water because he knows it is there, no thought involved but the recognition of thirst.

An excellent example of how the process works, except that you have conveniently overlooked the fact that it illustrates how the thought would have preceded the INVENTION of the words. Our subject is the origin of language, not how words are used once they have been invented. Humans also recognized thirst, and invented a word to express it. Do you honestly believe that they would not have felt thirsty if they hadn’t had a word for it? Thirst first, then the word. But once the word has been invented, we use it in our thoughts.