What was thinking like for cavemen before language was developed?
 

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.

I wonder how Tourette Syndrome manifested back then.

Should I feel offended about this thread? Grunt! Grunt! Scratch head!

Z

It would seem logical that cavemen didn't ever associate what they did as a result of thinking but out of instinct same as animals. It would seem that as language developed , even the crudest ,so did thinking.

Sorry, but I wouldn't know. It was too long ago for me to remember. :shocked:

If you ever get a chance to see it, watch the movie "Quest for Fire". No words were spoken in the entire move.

Read the Trilogy "Clan of the Cave Bear" by Jean Auel.

Everyone thinks in pictures...language or not.

Think about an elephant....do you see the word or the picture of an elephant?

Your photographic memory at work...

i would imagine they thought pretty much the way that dogs think. We know that dogs dream (O, O, I''m chasing a rabbit) and otherwise "think" in pictures. i.e, there's my food bowl, there's my master, there's someone I've never seen before, there's a female who's in heat. Without language there's no history of the past, and there's no anticipation of the future. Living in the moment, for sure.

I imagine, as none of us can ever really know, that all living creatures think just fine, with or without language. Most language is, after all, unspoken. If you've ever watched an ant colony, they have amazing communication, with evident logic, strategy, and teamwork. Nature demonstrates this everywhere. I'm not at all sure that humans are the brightest among us.

Food for deep thought. Parker. I know I am glad YOU have language, you always use it well.

Any physical anthropologist will tell you the concept of an after life goes back in human history further than first imagined in accordance with brain size.
Any attempt to coordinate such concepts as "yesterday or tomorrow" with brain size is very difficult.

What is known is that once the animal was killed and cooked and the belly was full the first thoughts were of.......FOOTBALL!!!

...ARE YA READY???

Frankly, other species communicate better or more accurately more honestly than humans. Humans have the extraordinary ability to act with an intention but say something that is totally opposite. And oddly, humans tend to listen to the words more than the actions.

Yes, odd indeed.