[QUOTE=Villages PL;822187]Okay, it's obvious they must have thought in pictures. So when they got hungry they saw food. But, otherwise, what did they think about when they didn't need anything in particular? Did their minds go blank? Is there a picture for, "what should I do now?"
And what about deep thoughts? Could they have any deep thoughts without language? Like, "why do I exist?.....what is my purpose in life?" I don't think you can ask those questions with pictures.
Imagine if a caveman or cavewoman had a preteen son or daughter: They wouldn't be able to have....you know......"the talk". What then? Maybe they just gave them the "grunt".
If they didn't have a word for "yesterday" or "tomorrow", what did they have? How can you think of tomorrow in pictures? Would they be able to plan ahead in pictures?
I'm sure you will tell me about it, those of you who think in pictures, assuming you can find the words to explain it.
What was it like to not have any words, only pictures for thoughts.[/QUOTE
Not all language is verbal. Animals communicate by dancing and wiggling like bees.some through pheromones like ants and some by colorful displays like birds and lizards. Apes can be taught to communicate with sign language and they compose independent thoughts and desires. Some language was taught through geometric shapes to birds and mammals. Past is remembered by physical responses like in operatant conditioning. If a dog gets hit for chewing something and then stops doing it he has learned and remembers the punishment
There are many books on this subject. Cavemen are thought to have communicated by gestures before speech developed..
They had the brain capacity for communication. They had to have the capacity to remember the past In order to evolve to the future.