For an idea to exist, we must have words to express it.
This is absolutely true. When we think, we use words to express our ideas. Children spend a very large amount of time asking questions until they find the words and their meanings to express their thoughts. If all they needed to think were emotions, then children would have the greatest creative capacity, since they have overwhelming, violently powerful mood swings.
Thoughts are expressed through words, and if there is no word with the correct meaning, then we must attempt to assign a new meaning to a word. In Newspeak, the word freedom has been stripped down, so that it can only be used to say a noun is free from another noun, and the ideas of political and intelectual freedom is abolished. without those meanings, the Party managed to remove any possibility of political and intelectual freedom.
While some will undoubtebly be trying to find counterarguments, bear in mind that every thought that you form will be composed of words that convey the meaning intended.
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10 comments:
-Marvin Eng
I somewhat agree to what you say. It's true that words can be the easiest way to express ideas, but to say the an idea "MUST" have words to be expressed is inaccurate. There are SO many ways I can say something without actually saying it, such as if I punched someone in the face you can probably think that I was mad at that person, but I didnt have to say anything.
Aidan Lawrence-
I completely disagree with this. What about artists and sculptors. Do they not express ideas without words? Does a crying little girl not express her sadness without words?
I disagree with what you've said. Like Aidan said, artists express ideas without words. People who are very spiritual, often don't use words to express themselves. We can't use just emotions to think, but isn't most of what you do, say, and think guided, if not decided, by your emotions?
-Georgia Jamieson
I disagree. To have revolutionary ideas, we must be open to the fact that not all of them can be accurately expressed by explaining them with words. That is the basis of art, abstract thinking, and imagination in general. True feelings and ideas might have words that go along with them, but they never really convey the full meaning.
- Hannah Walhout
Children do ask a lot of questions, but that isn't because they are only trying to learn new forms of expressions, but merely because an infant mind is naturally more curious to its surroundings.
I partly agree with you, but the statement of, "For an idea to exist, we must have words to express it" is controversial in itself. Its similar to the whole, "which came first, the chicken or the egg?" riddle. Either can be countered depending where you stand.
I do agree with you to some point Sam. Like the rest of you have said, it s true that art and images can be tools even more effective as words. Like they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words." A good example of this would be during the Vietnam War. The people did not really start doing any protesting until after images of the horrors going on in Vietnam were released back to the US. But there are a lot of ways images can also be lost in translation. I mean we assume a girl that is crying is sad, a person who is smiles is happy, and if some one punches another person in the face, they are angry. Well, that girl that is crying might have been so happy with something happening that they started to cry. A person that is smiling could just be smiling as a mask for their own personal darkness with in. A person punching another person in the face, well they could be a couple of boxers and they are trying to improve both of their skills. As Hannah said, art is abstract thinking, and since everybody thinks differently, everybody can have a different interpretation of a piece of art, meaning that an initial message could be lost. I mean what was Any Whorhal's message for painting a can of chicken noodle soup? Words however serve as a tool that can leave less lost in translation. They have the ability to spread ideas very quickly. I mean the fastest spread of ideas is word of mouth. One person tells someone, who tells another, and another, and before you know it, we all know how to "Crank that Soulja Boy." Ideas grow best from words I mean you don't see people buying the daily picture every, they buy the Newspaper. The newspaper does have images, but the bulk of it is words. The power of the press is the greatest power of them all and the pen in is indeed more powerful than the sword. I mean if you look to AP EURO, when Johann Guttenburg invented the printing press and literacy spread, it lead to the destruction of the Catholic control over Europe and the rise of Protestantism. Words may not be the only way to express an idea, but they might be the most powerful.
I understand what you're trying to say. To express what my response is to this post is I would have to use words but there are ways of expressing ideas other than just text. For example, what Aidan said, artists and sculptors express their ideas through visuals and emotions aren't always expressed through text, someone crying illustrates pain, sorrow, etc. Text can convey a message but so can a painting or an action.
-Amanda Jones
I disagree with what you're saying, basically to communicate an idea, it is easier to have the proper words to express it, however young children, even those who know no words at all still have ideas and emotions, even if these ideas are often more simplistic than those with words. Or someone who is deaf and dumb and blind, could (and would) still form thoughts.
Our society has created words for things so they can be communicated, not so we can think them. The idea would have to exist before the word for the word to be created.
I half agree and disagree with you. I believe that your words wont come out unless you say it or else there will be assumptions that can turn out to be fake. However, when you see physical acts, it is mostly your assumption would be correct. Like if you see a kid that is crying, you can easily predict if the kid is sad for a reason even though you don't the cause. Also many pictures and actions can also express how we feel. You dont have to cry to be sad, you can draw sad faces or something that shows that you are sad. Therefore, there are many ways to express your feelings beside verbal.
-Lily Nguyen
I believe Sam makes a very valid and intellectual point.
While I agree that art, music, and emotions are not ideas expressed in verbal forms, I believe that words are the foundation for human communication, even within these forms. For example, is a deaf person capable of having ideas? Yes, because they can use sign language to express their opinions.
Can a blind person enjoy a great piece of art? Yes, because they can read about it using braille utilizing their sense of touch.
Everyone has their own interpretation of art and music, but until we share our opinions of these art forms using words, we are unable to learn from others and expand on our own thoughts. Ideas can exist, but they will do no good unless verbalized.
Zoe Erb
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