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Scientists Confirm that Language is Not Required for Thinking
The connection between language and thinking has been a bit of a chicken or an egg debate, but the results are in.
It was long thought that most healthy human brains have the same structure and function, but scientific and technological advancements suggest this is not quite the case. Even a simple discussion between two or more people can reveal the flaws in the assumption.
Consider one of the most basic internal experiences everyone has — thinking. Most people go about their lives assuming everyone else thinks as they do. I don’t mean the content of their thoughts. I’m talking about the form their thoughts take.
Language, specifically, has long been associated with thinking and is even credited with our advanced intelligence, which sets us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom. However, research now suggests language isn’t required for thinking at all.
Initial Debate
Throughout history, many writers and philosophers observed a strong relationship between language and thought. A few examples include Oscar Wilde’s statement that language is “the parent, and not the child, of thought,” or when Ludwig Wittgenstein claimed that “the limits of my language…
