The many relations between language and thought : three case studies
The nature of the relationship between language and thought is a controversial topic, and it seems every possible position has been defended at some point: from the rationalists of old who equated rationality with language to modern cognitive science which tends to see language as merely a vessel for communicating thoughts. But even these most disparate views share the assumption that the relationship is consistent and stable throughout cognition. However, the rise of modularity within cognitive science challenges the idea that thought is a single homogenous phenomenon, and in this vein, this thesis challenges the assumption that the relationship between language and thought is identical across all domains of cognition. By looking at three different areas of cognition in depth this thesis shows that not only does language have a role to play in cognition (a controversial conclusion in its own right) but further that this role varies across cognition. The first case study deals with how navigational terminology lends a unique flexibility to human reorientation capacities, the second illustrates how swearing helps expand the domain of our disgust response from the visceral to the moral; and the third shows how
Cusworth, T.
The many relations between language and thought : three case studies. The nature of the relationship between language and thought is a controversial topic, and it seems every possible position has been defended at some point: from the rationalists of old who equated rationality with language to modern cognitive science which tends to see language as merely a vessel for communicating thoughts. But even these most disparate views share the assumption that the relationship is consistent and stable throughout cognition. However, the rise of modularity within cognitive science challenges the idea that thought is a single homogenous phenomenon, and in this vein, this thesis challenges the assumption that the relationship between language and thought is identical across all domains of cognition. By looking at three different areas of cognition in depth this thesis shows that not only does language have a role to play in cognition (a controversial conclusion in its own right) but further that this role varies across cognition. The first case study deals with how navigational terminology lends a unique flexibility to human reorientation capacities, the second illustrates how swearing helps expand the domain of our disgust response from the visceral to the moral; and the third shows how
many relation language_think three_case_study nature_relationship language_think controversial topic seem every possible position defend point rationalist old rationality language modern cognitive_science tends see language merely vessel communicate thought even disparate view share assumption relationship consistent stable throughout cognition however rise modularity within cognitive_science challenge_idea think single homogenous phenomenon vein challenge_assumption relationship language_think identical across domain cognition look three_different area cognition depth show language role_play cognition controversial conclusion right role varies across cognition first case_study deal navigational terminology lend unique flexibility human reorientation capacity second illustrates swear expand domain disgust response moral third show