~Now for something totally different~

[ChaoticLil]

Since we're debating the chicken and the egg bit, I thought that we could debate something else kind of along the same line.


Which came first, the thought or the word?

And no Todd, I'm not talking about the bible either.

I personally feel you have to have the thought first. In order to formulate a word you have to be able to visualize it first.

Anyway, I thought it would make for an interesting discussion.

 

[Guest]

Make that...

two votes for thought.

 

[willywanker]

All I know is when words come out before thoughts, I end up inBIG trouble.

 

[Always]

thought came first.

it's like when you're learning a new language, and you have to learn to think in that language...

BUT you know how it is when a thougt/idea runs through your mind and then you say it to yourself and it takes so much longer? ideas/thoughts are more compact and complexly simple too.

 

[Valdimer]

definatly the thought. Unless you want to count the grunt or groan from the first primates, agian, definatly the thought.

 

[ChaoticLil]

definatly the thought. Unless you want to count the grunt or groan from the first primates, agian, definatly the thought.

Even with the grunts and groans I would think you would have formulated a thought first. (In my opinion anyway)

 

[Texan]

this is just a thought....

it seems to me... that you can't possibly have a thought without the words to formulate the thought.

Emotions.... reactions..... needs..... impulses..... etc.... you could have before words......

but thoughts are different.....

Shila...... when you learn another language..... you learn to translate WORDS..... long before you learn to think in the other language

 

[Neale]

Ah, you beat me to the draw, pardner Texan!

For an interesting extrapolation on the idea that language precedes thought, read 1984, by George Orwell. In it, the government is promoting GoodSpeak. Their plan is to eliminate certain words from the language, leaving people unable to even think about those things. Ultimately, they would take it to only the word 'good'.

Imagine, if you didn't have the words for something, the most you could think about it would be inchoate emotions. If you've ever studied a foreign language, you might be able to appreciate the concept even better. Remember when you were trying to talk about something that you just can't remember the vocabulary for? Weird feeling... Now imagine not only didn't know any English for it, but you were unaware there even were words for it...

 

[JenJ]

Thought has to come first or else you tend to get yourself in trouble with the words.

 

[mfucker]

Re: this is just a thought....

it seems to me... that you can't possibly have a thought without the words to formulate the thought.

Emotions.... reactions..... needs..... impulses..... etc.... you could have before words......

but thoughts are different.....

Shila...... when you learn another language..... you learn to translate WORDS..... long before you learn to think in the other language

words are part of a language that we use as a tool, just sounds that everyone agree on to mean the same thing. so definitely thought first yea....

 

[ChaoticLil]

Re: Re: this is just a thought....

words are part of a language that we use as a tool, just sounds that everyone agree on to mean the same thing. so definitely thought first yea....

I agree with you. What no one has addressed as of yet is the deaf. They can't hear, therefore they wouldn't be savy to words. All they have until they learn sign language is thought. Wouldn't that also point towards thought being first?

 

[The_old_man]

I'm with TEXAN. Emotions first, then thoughts to explain them, then the words to comunicate them.

 

[Valdimer]

Deaf cant really count. They have lost thier abiltity to speak, but not thier ability to think. Regardless, you have to think before you act, or............trouble awaits, as someone already said........lol