evolution of man and development of languege

mangaddict_reborn · Naginata Ashigaru Joined: Sep 06, 2006 Posts: 483

I don't actually remember starting this thread at all to be honest. But from what I can infer, this isn't an evolution vs creation thread.

Objectivist

mangaddict_reborn · Naginata Ashigaru Joined: Sep 06, 2006 Posts: 483

I don't think Christianity is philosophy, I think it's theology. Aristotle was a philosopher, John Smith is more of a theologist. I never think of "God did it" as an ideal attitute to take toward the sciences, even if it is true.

Objectivist · Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 1:13 pm Post subject:

I fail to see how Christianity is not philosophy. Christians have philosophy in ethics, politics, military, marriage, work, government, the list goes on. Agreeing or disagreeing with them is an independent choice. In actual philosophy courses, when you come to philosophy in religion and the metaphysical, you learn that there are three types of people: athiests, agnostics, and theists. Anyway, If you want to persue taking pop shots at Christianity start a new thread and we can argue there. I'm acually interested in where this thread will go.

mangaddict_reborn · Naginata Ashigaru Joined: Sep 06, 2006 Posts: 483

pyrorecca · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 3:08 am Post subject:

I think that people had to develop symbolism and the concept referring to things using something else first. Probably body language ,which is a natural language, rather than a man-made language, formed the basis for such symbolism and eventually branched out. Grammar is convention I think. Grammar develops out of forming gradually more complex communication and is kind of random I think. Just like the conventional current we see in electronics. If we hadn't discovered positive before negative, we would have a much easier time.

If you believe in evolution then an interesting answer as to why language (not how) developed is that it offers sexual advantages. Women like "creative" men , well-groomed men. Those illiterate men were weeded out of society so eventually we were left with increasingly more literate people. People who communicate with sounds or maybe in the case of chinese, with pictures. There are also languages based on body movements but I guess they aren't that efficient

I don't know anything about the specific stages language went through before becoming what it is today. I've read that ancient greeks had no concept of self-reference, of your own inner voice and attributed your inner voice to some demon or external influence (similar to what we call schizophrenia). I dunno.

Pretty sure there are many books on this subject.. Doesn't really interest me to be honest. I'm more interested in evolution ("the ancestors tale" richard dawkins) and psychology(NOT freud, I don't agree with him). language does pop up in these books so I thought I would comment.

anyway I do think the "god did it" argument is kind of true but people shouldn't stop at that answer. God isn't simple. I think we're doing god a disservice when we give simplistic answers to the genius of his creation. Intelligent design is really insulting to god and so is creationism. (my opinion) Evolution is by far the most compelling evidence that god exists imo. I recommend "language of god" by francis collins. You can get the book by richard dawkins too "the god delusion". Both are interesting but I doubt they have much influence on a person's faith.

btw, I disagree with social darwinism . the human race is getting worse of physically speaking yes but genetically speaking, our gene pool is actually improving because of globalisation. the chances of some of us surviving a global catastrophe is improving. killing off jews, psychopaths, criminals, physically disabled does nothing to help us as a species. counterproductive actually.
_________________
[img:309:200:9b3695521e]http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/8583/dobedobedojs0.jpg[/img:9b3695521e]