On 1/28/12 3:48 AM January 28, 2012, Charles Haynes wrote:
On Jan 28, 2012 5:32 PM, "gabin kattukaran" <gkattuka...@gmail.com
<mailto:gkattuka...@gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> On 28 January 2012 12:45, Udhay Shankar N <ud...@pobox.com
<mailto:ud...@pobox.com>> wrote:
> > On 28/01/12 6:26 AM, Charles Haynes wrote:
> >>
> >> I would argue for the scientific method, or mathematics.
> >
> >
> > It can be argued that neither of the above would have got any traction
> > without the invention of writing, no?
>
> Language, which allowed communication even before writing should be
> considered, no?
Isn't language innate, not "invented?" Don't other species besides
humans have language?
Most experts would say that other animals don't have languages in the
same way that human beings do.
But if you're going to make that argument, then mathematics is innate,
too. Human babies have an innate mathematical ability, and other
animals, including ravens, also have innate mathematic ability.
If you ate willing to accept argument by passive voice it can beer
argued that writing is not necessary, but only an efficiency improvement.
Mathematics is about abstraction and the manipulation of abstractions.
An entirely new way of thinking about the world.
Written language is pretty much also about abstraction and the
manipulation of abstractions. Written number systems predated written
language in many places, which would place written language on a
slightly higher evolutionary plane than number systems.
The scientific method is about extending mathematical reasoning beyond
syllogisms. Going from induction to deduction. Again an entirely new
way of thinking rigorously about the world.
I'm fairly certain we're not the only animals capable of deductive
reasoning, either.
--
Heather Madrone (heat...@madrone.com)
http://www.sunsplinter.blogspot.com
Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its
best is power correcting everything that stands against love.
- Martin Luther King
