Percy-L: Literary, Religious, Scientific, and Philosophical Discussion of Walker Percy

["Parlin, Steven" <PARLINS AT culver.org>]

 

Dear Joseph:

Isn't that enough symbolism to constitute consciousness - a "knowing" of a "world" in which they created through they're symbolic play-fight?

Hmmmm… first I don’t think I follow the use of the word “symbolism” in here. What are you suggesting is being symbolized? And, what is the “world” you refer to?  Regardless, that a chimp or any animal (Cats play too, as do dogs, as do birds, as do any number of creatures) interacts or behaves in a variety of complex manners does not necessitate consciousness or the knowing of a world. Cats “know” (sort of) not to bite too hard when they are playing, but that sort of “knowing” is not qualitatively different than “knowing” not to leap from the roof or when to cross the street. Further, “worlds” are not created by symbols as if out of nothingness. If that were true, that worlds or consciousnesses were merely the sum total of our abstract representations, we could not think without words, which is absurd. We do it all the time.

 

Respectfully,

 

Steve Parlin

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Joseph Cimino [mailto:evopsych AT hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2002 6:05 PM
To: percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [percy-l] Play As A Precursor To Language?

 

 

Many animals play. Especially chimps. They play a lot, and they're arguably the most intelligent non-human animals. And when they do play, it looks a lot like fighting, but its not. In the example of play, "fighting" is not fighting, but the opposite. The chimps understand that their actions, while seemingly violent, are actually affectionate. Isn't that enough symbolism to constitute consciousness - a "knowing" of a "world" in which they created through they're symbolic play-fight?

And if these chimps are our closest relatives in the animal kingdom, and we have language, and the they do not, then might play be a precursor to language? Or, perhaps even an example of language?

Joe C.

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