Is It Possible to Think Without Language?
As a class we had to pick a Knowledge Issue and discuss it in one page or less. We couldnt make the font smaller than Times New Roman, 12, single spaced. A Knowledge Issue is a question formulated to be broad enough for variety in answer, but simulataneously pushing in the right direction. Writting open ended questions is quite an adventure so to speak. It is extremely difficult because any word you choose to put into the question, diction, can shape the readers thought process. And that is the exact opposite of what you are trying to accomplish. You want to leave it open to interpretation without making it too broad that it is basically silly. We as a class have had to write many similar assignments before, but not by picking our own Knowlege Issue. That provided an obstacle within itself. It left the possibilities open to you and while doing so, made it slightly overwhelming.
Is it possible to think without language? How does language extend meaning? Limit meaning?
No, I dont think that its possible to think without language. For example, babies, communicate through crying for the most part. Babies know what they want but not by thinking, but by feeling. The baby feels hungry it cries, tired it cries, hurt it cries; the baby feels without having to think and therefore not needing language. I cant and dont remember a time when I thought without language and that limits my ability to think about this question as a non-language thinker. Now that I know a language, I cant pretend that I dont know a language to try and test this either. Having this limitation is not only frustrating but extremely difficult to get over, maybe even impossible.