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<Asa Lovejoy>
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http://www.powells.com/review/2007_09_24.html?utm_source=review-a-day

Which leads me to question whether one might have an insight - a cognitive leap - apart from language. I think one might, since some animals problem solve. What say you smart critters?
 
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I lay no particular claim to smarts, but it seems to me we solve many everyday problems in our mind's eye without accessing words
 
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I have read that Einstein said that he was able to think without language, and found it useful. But I have no references.
 
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I bought this book last week and am slowly working through it. Pinker crams so much information into a short period that I find myself reading a chapter or so a night, so I can digest it all. I'll post more when I've finished.
 
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The book sounds very interesting and quite appropriate for Wordcraft. We would appreciate your impressions, Sean. Asa, have you read it?
 
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I agree it sounds interesting. I might well see if I can get a copy.


"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
 
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<Asa Lovejoy>
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I've not read it, since I only learned about it through the review I posted. Give me some time! The review did prompt my question, however. I'm unsure regarding the nature of thought versus the nature of insight.
 
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Colin McGinn's critique of Pinker (in part) says
quote:
It just doesn't seem true that everything nonphysical that we think about is metaphorical; for example, our legal concepts such as "rights" are surely not all mere metaphors, introduced on the shoulders of the concepts of intuitive physics.


I like very much Pinker's theory that language is like a grid built on just a few innate concepts which are, in essence: space, time, motion, substance. But I think McGinn has a good point, and that there are one or two "metaphysical" concepts wired in as well. I believe that's what all the
"Are we hard-wired for religion?" talk is about.
 
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Mt newspaper carried a favourable review of The Stuff of Thought today. The reviewer said that she read it over a period of several evenings just before going to sleep; the sheer amount of information meant that she had to give up trying to read it in one or two sessions.


Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
 
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Douglas Hofstadter has an interesting review .
 
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<Asa Lovejoy>
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quote:
Originally posted by bethree5:

I think McGinn has a good point, and that there are one or two "metaphysical" concepts wired in as well. I believe that's what all the

Your link reminds me of Jung's idea of the collective unconscious.
 
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Douglas Hofstadter has an interesting review.

I liked the review. I'll have to take a look at the book in question.


Ceci n'est pas un seing.
 
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Phew! Looks like too academic of a read for me. Sounds like interesting ideas, though. Enjoy your new book!


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quote:
Originally posted by goofy:
Douglas Hofstadter has an interesting review .


Just catching up, Goofy (>pant,pant<Wink-- enjoyed the link very much. Nice thorough thought-provoking review.
 
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Picture of bethree5
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quote:
Originally posted by Asa Lovejoy:
quote:
Originally posted by bethree5:

I think McGinn has a good point, and that there are one or two "metaphysical" concepts wired in as well. I believe that's what all the

Your link reminds me of Jung's idea of the collective unconscious.


Finally catching up on posts, Asa-- I was a lousy psych student in college, so I had to read Wiki on this. Right you are-- nothing new under the sun, is there? I was a hippie/ New-Ager, & came to the same concept via Jane Roberts' Seth books-- "cellular memory" (!)
 
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<Asa Lovejoy>
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So, old hippie, have you seen the movie, "What The (Bleep) Do We Know?"
 
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quote:
Originally posted by Asa Lovejoy:
So, old hippie, have you seen the movie, "What The (Bleep) Do We Know?"


Read this review before you see it:
quote:
Take home lesson: I can't emphasize enough how important it is that you not watch this movie.
 
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<Asa Lovejoy>
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Awwww, yeah, but it's such fun! Big Grin Besides, much of it was shot in my neighborhood!
 
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quote:
Originally posted by Asa Lovejoy:
Awwww, yeah, but it's such fun! Big Grin Besides, much of it was shot in my neighborhood!


Really? Cool. I haven't seen it, but I'm sort of curious despite the warnings. At least it'll be entertaining.
 
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Asa, what neighborhood was that, Jupiter? har har, goofy, the review is a riot. my favorite line: "Hey, at least I haven't heard any chiropractors talking about quantum mechanics for more than ten minutes. I suppose that's the best I can hope for." (huh?)

I think on this cool autumn weekend, I'd rather curl up at home & watch another excellent movie, Plan 9 from Outer Space
 
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quote:
Originally posted by bethree5:
Plan 9 from Outer Space

Widely considered to be the worst movie ever made. Personally I think both Santa Claus Conquers The Martians and Night of the Lepus with its killer bunny rabbits, give it a good run for its money.


"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
 
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At least Santa Claus Conquers The Martians is entertaining. I'd vote for Attack of the the Eye Creatures or Sidehackers because not only do they make no sense, they're boring. I might include Manos: Hands of Fate, but I can't be sure whether it would have been entertaining without Joel and the bots.
 
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<Asa Lovejoy>
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quote:
Originally posted by bethree5:
Asa, what neighborhood was that, Jupiter?


Adhara, actually
 
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Picture of arnie
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quote:
Adhara, actually

Is that one of Jupiter's moons? Confused


Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
 
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<Asa Lovejoy>
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quote:
Originally posted by arnie:
quote:
Adhara, actually

Is that one of Jupiter's moons? Confused
http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/sow/adhara.html
 
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Picture of zmježd
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A friend sent me a link to a video of Pinker giving a talk at Google. It's over an hour long, but well worth a look-see. How cool!


Ceci n'est pas un seing.
 
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