In class some of my peers suggested that the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis - “language determines our experience of reality and we can see and think only what our language allows us to see and think. Some people argued that in some cases it is not very easy to study a subject without language like maths. Without all the technical terms and equations we would not be able to do anything very complex with language.
I found this debate very intriguing. I felt that we are able to think without language. For example, when we want to say something but we feel like we do not have the right words to put your idea out. So you have to change your idea a little to fit in with your vocabulary. It suggested that sometimes language can be a hindrance in learning some things, while on the other hand it can be beneficial; when learning the natural sciences especially.
Another argument against this is that animals can learn things without animals. A speaker on a Ted talks we watched suggested that animals have a form of communication, although they can communicate they do not use a language. This is where the differentiation between humans and animals is shown. Animals are said to lack social learning - a form of visual theft - where one can benefit from other's work. Benefit from others knowledge. An example of this when we see a hunter use a gun to hunt, while watching the hunter we can learn a few things from him, like how to pick a target to hunt. On the other hand, chimpanzees are incapable of doing this. Although they know how to use sticks to dig up termites, if they used social learning they would have been able to create a shovel which would be more efficient.
Language allows cooperation, this allows us as humans to surpass the other animals. We could transform the environment to suit our needs while animals could not. Overall, I feel like language is very useful to learning, although we can learn without it. I feel that language is key to understanding some complex ideas, while others simply require copying. I feel as humans have evolved, we have the luxury to pick the most efficient way of learning. Like in chemistry the best way is to learn with the language. While sports are easier learnt by mimicking/copying movements.
Language allows cooperation, this allows us as humans to surpass the other animals. We could transform the environment to suit our needs while animals could not. Overall, I feel like language is very useful to learning, although we can learn without it. I feel that language is key to understanding some complex ideas, while others simply require copying. I feel as humans have evolved, we have the luxury to pick the most efficient way of learning. Like in chemistry the best way is to learn with the language. While sports are easier learnt by mimicking/copying movements.
Lagemaat, Richard Van De. Theory of Knowledge for the IB Diploma. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2005. Print.
Are there ways that you could apply this to your learning in your IB classes?
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