Is It Possible To Think Without Language?

What did you say? And what did you mean by it?

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creativesoul
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Re: Is It Possible To Think Without Language?

Post by creativesoul »

TimeSeeker wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:35 pm
creativesoul wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:35 pm Do you believe what you write?
Honestly. I do not know what you mean by that word...
Bullshit.

You either believe what you write or you don't. If you do, then you're an honest speaker. If you don't, then you're not.
TimeSeeker
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Re: Is It Possible To Think Without Language?

Post by TimeSeeker »

creativesoul wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:38 pm
TimeSeeker wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:35 pm
creativesoul wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:35 pm Do you believe what you write?
Honestly. I do not know what you mean by that word...
Bullshit.

You either believe what you write or you don't. If you do, then you're an honest speaker. If you don't, then you're not.
What I write is me picturing the exact scenario (you telling me there is a spider) in my mind and simulating how it would play out in practice.
The observations I will make. The hypotheses I will test/questions I will ask. The conclusions I will draw.

I am narrating the "movie" that plays out in my head.

Is this what you call "belief" ?
creativesoul
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Re: Is It Possible To Think Without Language?

Post by creativesoul »

TimeSeeker wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:39 pm
creativesoul wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:38 pm
TimeSeeker wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:35 pm
Honestly. I do not know what you mean by that word...
Bullshit.

You either believe what you write or you don't. If you do, then you're an honest speaker. If you don't, then you're not.
What I write is me picturing the exact scenario (you telling me there is a spider) in my mind and simulating how it would play out in practice.
The observations I will make. The hypotheses I will test. The conclusions I will draw.

I am narrating the "movie" that plays out in my head.

Is this what you call "belief" ?
Nah. Now you're into territory where the distinction between thought and belief is appropriate. At the rudimentary level, prior to becoming aware of one's own fallibility, there is no difference between the two... the only one is when one suspends judgment... when one is contemplating but uncertain whether or not they believe what they're contemplating...
TimeSeeker
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Re: Is It Possible To Think Without Language?

Post by TimeSeeker »

creativesoul wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:43 pm Nah. Now you're into territory where the distinction between thought and belief is appropriate. At the rudimentary level, prior to becoming aware of one's own fallibility, there is no difference between the two... the only one is when one suspends judgment... when one is contemplating but uncertain whether or not what they believe what they're contemplating...
You are still using the word "belief" to make arguments when you are yet to explain it.

I don't understand your argument because I don't understand how you use that word.

Give me a timeline. After the phrase "there is a spider on your shoulder" registers in your mind - what happens next? When does the belief/truth part come in? What happens right after you "believe" that there is a spider on your shoulder?
creativesoul
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Re: Is It Possible To Think Without Language?

Post by creativesoul »

TimeSeeker wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:44 pm
creativesoul wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:43 pm Nah. Now you're into territory where the distinction between thought and belief is appropriate. At the rudimentary level, prior to becoming aware of one's own fallibility, there is no difference between the two... the only one is when one suspends judgment... when one is contemplating but uncertain whether or not what they believe what they're contemplating...
You are still using the word "belief" to make arguments when you are yet to explain it.

I don't understand your argument because I don't understand how you use that word.

Give me a timeline. After the phrase "there is a spider on your shoulder" registers in your mind - what happens next? When does the belief/truth part come in?
Not interested in yet another round of misdirection.

You either believe that there is a spider on your shoulder, or you don't, or you're uncertain whether or not there is. If you do, then you believe the statement is true. If you don't then you don't. If you're uncertain, then you are uncertain whether or not the statement is true. It's simple.

You obviously know what the statement means, for you've pictured it. You also know what it would take in order to be true(for you've pictured it). You may or may not believe it, depending upon whether or not you think/believe that there is a spider on your shoulder.
TimeSeeker
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Re: Is It Possible To Think Without Language?

Post by TimeSeeker »

creativesoul wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:01 pm Not interested in yet another round of misdirection.

You either believe that there is a spider on your shoulder, or you don't, or you're uncertain whether or not there is. If you do, then you believe the statement is true. If you don't then you don't. If you're uncertain, then you are uncertain whether or not the statement is true. It's simple.

You obviously know what the statement means, for you've pictured it. You also know what it would take in order to be true. You may or may not believe it, depending upon whether or not you think/believe that there is a spider on your shoulder.
No matter how many times you repeat the word "believe" I am not going to understand what you are saying.

Much like the example with water in the fridge. Why would I care about my certainty at that exact moment? Taking certainty into account is only relevant when you make decisions.

I am not making any decisions.

I could shrug my shoulders and carry on with life - never validating if there is indeed a spider on my shoulder.
I could turn and look.

Furthermore the statement "uncertain or not the statement is true" is non-sensical in my mind.I consider myself a Bayesian. All predictions/expectations exist on a certainty continuum.
Last edited by TimeSeeker on Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
creativesoul
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Re: Is It Possible To Think Without Language?

Post by creativesoul »

TimeSeeker wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:39 pm
creativesoul wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:38 pm
TimeSeeker wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:35 pm
Honestly. I do not know what you mean by that word...
Bullshit.

You either believe what you write or you don't. If you do, then you're an honest speaker. If you don't, then you're not.
What I write is me picturing the exact scenario (you telling me there is a spider) in my mind and simulating how it would play out in practice.
The observations I will make. The hypotheses I will test/questions I will ask. The conclusions I will draw.

I am narrating the "movie" that plays out in my head.

Is this what you call "belief" ?
That's actually what I call thinking about thought/belief.
Last edited by creativesoul on Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
TimeSeeker
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Re: Is It Possible To Think Without Language?

Post by TimeSeeker »

creativesoul wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:06 pm That's actually what I call thinking about thought/belief.
Yes. You have asked a hypothetical. I have put myself in that position and played out the scenario in my head.

I have pointed out the key steps in the process which I recognise/would be aware of. I need you point out the part you recognise/call "belief".

If any.
creativesoul
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Re: Is It Possible To Think Without Language?

Post by creativesoul »

TimeSeeker wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:08 pm
creativesoul wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:06 pm That's actually what I call thinking about thought/belief.
Yes. You have asked a hypothetical. I have put myself in that position and played out the scenario in my head.

I have pointed out the key steps in the process which I recognise/would be aware of. I need you point out the part you recognise/call "belief".

If any.
You believe that everything you've written is true; is the case at hand; is an account of the way things are; corresponds to fact/reality... etc.
TimeSeeker
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Re: Is It Possible To Think Without Language?

Post by TimeSeeker »

The easiest way I know how to resolve this is with another hypothetical.

Suppose that i did believe - what do you expect to happen next?
Now suppose the same scenario plays out the next day. This time I didn't believe? What would happen that is different to yesterday?
TimeSeeker
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Re: Is It Possible To Think Without Language?

Post by TimeSeeker »

creativesoul wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:13 pm You believe that everything you've written is true; is the case at hand; is an account of the way things are; corresponds to fact/reality... etc.
Again...You need to describe "belief" with some other words. What happens when you "believe" is it a feeling? A decision? A recognition of an event taking place in your mind? Is it a priori? A posteriori?

No matter how many times you say it - I am hearing the same thing. A word I don't know how to parse.

Everything I've written is as I have imagined it given my knowledge of self.

To ask me is it true?; or Do you believe it? I will simply respond: how do I tell if I do or I don't believe it? How do I tell if it is or isn't true?
creativesoul
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Re: Is It Possible To Think Without Language?

Post by creativesoul »

Blather...
creativesoul
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Re: Is It Possible To Think Without Language?

Post by creativesoul »

TimeSeeker wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:15 pm
creativesoul wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:13 pm You believe that everything you've written is true; is the case at hand; is an account of the way things are; corresponds to fact/reality... etc.
Again...You need to describe "belief" with some other words. What happens when you "believe" is it a feeling? A decision? A recognition of an event taking place in your mind? Is it a priori? A posteriori?

No matter how many times you say it - I am hearing the same thing. A word I don't know how to parse.

Everything I've written is as I have imagined it given my knowledge of self.

To ask me is it true?; or Do you believe it? I will simply respond: how do I tell if I do or I don't believe it? How do I tell if it is or isn't true?
I do not know what you mean by any of the words you've used... you'll have to describe every one of them with some other words....

:roll:
creativesoul
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Re: Is It Possible To Think Without Language?

Post by creativesoul »

If you do not know how to tell if any statement is true or not, then you do not know what they mean either...

You're lying my friend...
TimeSeeker
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Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2018 8:42 am

Re: Is It Possible To Think Without Language?

Post by TimeSeeker »

creativesoul wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:37 pm I do not know what you mean by any of the words you've used... you'll have to describe every one of them with some other words....

:roll:
OK, but you aren't even making an effort. I've given you like 3 different strategies to try and elucidate it. A timeline. Using other words which I use when I speak about my mind. Words are imprecise tools. Surely you know how to describe something more than one way?
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