Re: Re : Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

Temple Grandin's book _Thinking in Pictures_ is an autobiographical
work from an autistic person.  She explains what it is to her to lack
ability to think abstractly -- every word is associated for her with a
specific and vivid picture, and while IMHO she *can* accomplish the
tasks which are usually described as "thinking abstractly," she is
able to do so only by mentally setting up vivid picture-analogies.

Interestingly, she has made a career of designing humane and
effective enclosures, living spaces, and handling procedures for
animals.  She claims that she is able to do so very effectively
because her own processes of perception are much closer to those of
animals than most humans' are.

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Ed doesn't know everything, but he hasn't figured that out yet.
Please break it to him gently.              edheil@postmark.net
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Grandsire, C.A. wrote:

> Ed Heil wrote:
> >
> > I'm not sure that it's impossible to think abstractly without
> > language.  It's pretty difficult to communicate abstractions without
> > language, though.
> >
>
>         What about deaf-mute people from birth? How do they think before
> learning the sign language, and do they think in signs when they have
> learned it? I should try and find again the book of Emmanuelle Laborit.
> She explained very well how were her thoughts before she learned the
> sign language.