Do we think in words ?

While looking at a rather funny clip I was poised to make a comment, so I scrolled through the comments made already and 'thought' we should have this conversation on SF.

The first comment was by some nutter off his head but from his comments a conversation formed about whether we actually 'think in language'

So,the question is do we think in words ?

Oh, heres the link that made me want to pan it out on here.

http://www.spikedhumor.com/articles/210322/Girl-Launched-to-Sky-on-Water-Blob.html

I think in spoken word. I can't imagine any other way. I wish I didn't sometimes as the voices can be very naughty

That's an interesting question. Words are an interesting mixture of different things- they can be purely visual written symbols, they can be spoken and heard and used to communicate with others or the memory of them can be recalled in order to form silent thoughts in our minds (sotto voce).

At some point in our past humans must have developed language, but did they already have the ability to think 'sotto voce' through, for example recalling images and smells or did that only develop after they were able to associate things with words? We just don't know.

We're not born with the ability to speak a language (just with the ability to produce sounds) and we don't understand a language just because we hear it so we do have to train ourselves to think in words, but even this process is just training ourselves to associate different things with memories of visual and audible symbols. So I guess you could argue that we think with our senses rather than words, but we learn to associate everything with words. What's particularly interesting about words however, is that they can then be used to describe things that we can't experience directly so for example, we're able to imagine what the future will be like.

What is also interesting is that we sometimes define 'intelligence' and 'stupidity' by the amount of words a person knows or how they use them, despite the fact that people who know fewer words have brains that are perfectly capable of recognising and memorising the same amount of sensory data as those who can better interpret that data into language.

I'm inclined to suggest that we can think so long as we have access to at least some of our senses, but we can only make sense to others if we have words or a shared understanding of symbols.

Well its obvious that we think without language as deaf people get on as do babies with the senses but I cannot remember or am capable of realising thought without words/language.

Is this state of being where we are distant from language in our thoughts seen as a more natural state and making us closer to God the universe and everything ?

Its a state that many civilisations and religions strive to do with vows of silence and meditation, even filling our heads with incantations and natural rythm's to sort of suppress the lines of thought dominated by language. Does getting away from the need for communication and thus the collective that we live in give us peace of mind ?

Maybe we should stop looking at anti depressant to treat people and start teaching people how to think without language,use meditation ect. Go back to a more natural method of serenity instead of treatment (closing the stable door after the horse has bolted).

A lot can be said for our desire to pray and do mantras, if this is what keeps us sane. Maybe having a belief is as much about the practice of distancing ones self from the burn out of thinking in language and the mental issues such substaned practice brings.

I know there are times when people who are busy or doing something mundane 'switch off' and the shackle of time that we are always aware of is not so much of a factor any more, maybe if we could just practice and learn to do this more we would have a healthier society and probably peaceof mind, helping us all to get on more ?

Im starting now, OMMMM OMMMM, Peace n Love, Peace and love

Just to add to this, I have just been on another topic

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=623311

And someone mentioned making love as a way to relieve stress, well its dawned on me that thats one of the few times when your switched off, after sex.

So the conclussion Im coming up here with is that I am going top have to learn some techniques where Im not thinking, or thinking in language anyhow. I might even start going to church or something as I always found the peace in a church or grave yard really relaxing. Maybe its because like being in a library it takes self discipline and respect, with noise from people being frowned upon.

Going to church should be mandatory for some peope even without the belief in God theres benefits for being in such a place.

Going to church should be mandatory for some peope even without the belief in God theres benefits for being in such a place.

For which people?

Anyone, if its a way to wind down and switch of then everyone.

I'm inclined to agree with cavegirl but i would add thinking with emotion as well since as humans emotion dominates most of our thought processes, it takes a lot of discipline to remove emotion from any equation.

I'm also inclined to believe that because we are social creatures thinking in words allows us to interact better with other people because we can explain our thoughts to others, which in turn allows us to empathise, criticise, congratulate and so on in greater detail than would otherwise be possible.

Anyone, if its a way to wind down and switch of then everyone.

For some people church isn't a wind down, its just boring. Also, people can and should be able to choose when, how, and where they want to wind down themselves.

The only benefit I ever got from Church was the raisins they give you when you're a kid on Christmas eve.

As for the OP I would say yes to an extent. We all think in words but that's not the entirety of our thinking. You might be thinking something along the lines of "flamingjimmy's a bit annoying" but I'd wager that you're not thinking "breath, breath, breath" or "heart pump, heart pump, heart pump" or even "I will need the toilet soon".

For me I think in words when I'm conciously thinking about something, and the rest of the time I don't know how I think I just do.

Just to add to this, I have just been on another topic

 

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=623311

 

And someone mentioned making love as a way to relieve stress, well its dawned on me that thats one of the few times when your switched off, after sex.

 

So the conclussion Im coming up here with is that I am going top have to learn some techniques where Im not thinking, or thinking in language anyhow. I might even start going to church or something as I always found the peace in a church or grave yard really relaxing. Maybe its because like being in a library it takes self discipline and respect, with noise from people being frowned upon.

 

Going to church should be mandatory for some peope even without the belief in God theres benefits for being in such a place.

That is very subjective because different people find solace and peace in different environments, for instance i have found my greatest peace of mind in various places ranging from the top of mountains to lying down in the shower listening to and feeling the water.