Is it possible to think without language? How does language facilitate, extend, direct or limit thinking?

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Theory of Knowledge - 11th Grade

5 November 2011

Is it possible to think without language?

How does language facilitate, extend, direct or limit thinking?

    To answer clearly these two questions we have to understand the meaning of all important words in this context. “To think” means “to have a particular opinion, belief, or idea about something or someone”; “language” is “the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way”. These two words are the main points of the first question which now becomes: “Is it possible to have a particular opinion, belief or idea without the method of human communication consisting in the use of words?” I think the answer is yes; otherwise it would not be possible to think of a painting or of a piece of music. The second question is “How does language facilitate, extend, direct or limit thinking?” To understand what it is asking we have again to analyze all of its important terms. I already stated what language's definition is. “ To facilitate” means “to make easy or easier”; “to extend” is defined by “to make larger or longer in space or time”; “to direct” is instead “to aim in a particular direction or at a particular person”; “to limit” can be meant as “to set a point beyond which something does not or may not pass”. Now that every word has been analyzed we can state the second question again: “How does the method of communication based on the use of words make thinking easier, make it longer in space or time, aim it in a particular direction, or set a point beyond which it does not pass?” I believe in different cases language has different effects on thinking. When thinking of descriptions language may be limiting, that is why often people say “I cannot find the words”; when instead telling a story, language will extend the possibilities of how to tell it because if thoughts were only in images and sounds no one could explain concepts properly.

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    Proof that thinking without language is possible has been found by several scientific experiments. There is a famous saying which states “a picture is worth a thousand words”; this quotation was said by many people through history and shows that descriptions of pieces of art have been limited by language. Language can also facilitate knowledge. It can simplify very complex thoughts and allow us to organize ourselves. Math equations, for example, if thought about in images, feelings and sounds would be very difficult to understand. An example of someone not using language to think are newborns. Several researchers have ...

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