We often see many on RF, and usually being YEC believers and/or those accepting a literal interpretation of the Bible (or perhaps some other text), the view that humans are just so different from all other life as to support their beliefs for humans being created by God, and being separate from all other life - even as to being some representation or product of such a God. For most who are unlikely to have such beliefs, the position that we humans just developed alongside all other life and seemingly came through evolution with an abundance of advantages tends to make much more sense as to why we are where we are today.
If we looked at language (our own and others), which often is cited as being one of the major differences between humans and other life, especially as to written language or even symbolic language, it hardly makes sense not to see such as just as much an evolutionary process as for many other things. We humans, when reading a sentence, basically have a look-up table for each word we come across. We understand what each word means by some definition that is commonly held in our memory, also we might derive a meaning from the context in which it is used if the word has several meanings. This we all have to learn from not having any language at all when we are born. Before this, even as to recognising individual words, we have to understand the code (the alphabet) that forms the basis for all our words. Likewise, we also learn the grammar as to language usage so as to make sure we understand the context within which words are used so as to gain the meaning of anything as complex as to form sentences. Hence we learn from our culture as to how to use language.
So, all fine and dandy, but why would we have invented written languages or just symbols in the first place?
Given that there is enough evidence that much of non-human life seemingly have vocal communications in some fashion - disregarding gestures and body language, which are just as much communicating information - why was it that humans alone apparently developed symbolic and written language? It seems to me that a possible explanation for this occurring is that so much information was lost when the only means of passing on information was vocal, and where the deaths of individuals and/or groups saw useful information being lost along with such deaths. Why wouldn't any society, however small, want to preserve that which might enable them as a group to survive and/or prosper?
The long period, according to scientific evidence, as to where little change occurred (being vocal but no symbolic language) might just be as to the very notion of using symbols, and so as to form a language, being just so alien to those who probably didn't need it at the time. That is, that day-to-day life hardly needed much apart from the basic needs of surviving. We might have had the brains to have developed written languages but not the motives. Given that our higher intelligence, according to some, has been a fluke - not being that necessary for our survival - and hence why we have managed to develop so rapidly once we did invent written languages - relative to all other species. This because we can retain and pass on information much more readily with written language and especially so when we managed to communicate over long distances too. Now, communicating information is more of a problem - if such is not truth being relayed. Like the notion that humans are special and derived from a God.
Just some thoughts.
If we looked at language (our own and others), which often is cited as being one of the major differences between humans and other life, especially as to written language or even symbolic language, it hardly makes sense not to see such as just as much an evolutionary process as for many other things. We humans, when reading a sentence, basically have a look-up table for each word we come across. We understand what each word means by some definition that is commonly held in our memory, also we might derive a meaning from the context in which it is used if the word has several meanings. This we all have to learn from not having any language at all when we are born. Before this, even as to recognising individual words, we have to understand the code (the alphabet) that forms the basis for all our words. Likewise, we also learn the grammar as to language usage so as to make sure we understand the context within which words are used so as to gain the meaning of anything as complex as to form sentences. Hence we learn from our culture as to how to use language.
So, all fine and dandy, but why would we have invented written languages or just symbols in the first place?
Given that there is enough evidence that much of non-human life seemingly have vocal communications in some fashion - disregarding gestures and body language, which are just as much communicating information - why was it that humans alone apparently developed symbolic and written language? It seems to me that a possible explanation for this occurring is that so much information was lost when the only means of passing on information was vocal, and where the deaths of individuals and/or groups saw useful information being lost along with such deaths. Why wouldn't any society, however small, want to preserve that which might enable them as a group to survive and/or prosper?
The long period, according to scientific evidence, as to where little change occurred (being vocal but no symbolic language) might just be as to the very notion of using symbols, and so as to form a language, being just so alien to those who probably didn't need it at the time. That is, that day-to-day life hardly needed much apart from the basic needs of surviving. We might have had the brains to have developed written languages but not the motives. Given that our higher intelligence, according to some, has been a fluke - not being that necessary for our survival - and hence why we have managed to develop so rapidly once we did invent written languages - relative to all other species. This because we can retain and pass on information much more readily with written language and especially so when we managed to communicate over long distances too. Now, communicating information is more of a problem - if such is not truth being relayed. Like the notion that humans are special and derived from a God.
Just some thoughts.
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