I often verbally trace my thoughts, but only as a memory aid. The actual thought content is in sensations, which are predominantly visual with some sound. (Emotional content of course includes bodily sensations, but I assume this is commonly recognized).
I can reason things out with words as well, but they are not the fundamental unit of thought. Anyone else experience this?
Why anarchy fails
if you go to this site:-
http://www.freebookspot.in/Default.aspx
type "bandler" into the author field. you can read "Using Your Brain - For A Change" and
"The Structure of Magic: A Book About Language and Therapy"
I've found both books to be interesting (and on your topic.)
Where there is no property there is no justice; a proposition as certain as any demonstration in Euclid
Fools! not to see that what they madly desire would be a calamity to them as no hands but their own could bring
nirgrahamUK:you can read "Using Your Brain - For A Change" and "The Structure of Magic: A Book About Language and Therapy"
I've always been interested in NLP. Maybe now is the time to start on those two books. Thanks for the link!
AJ:I can reason things out with words as well, but they are not the fundamental unit of thought. Anyone else experience this?
Yes, I think this is a good textual representation of how a thought is transcripted.
For me, the 'thought unit', 'conceptualization', or maybe 'idea entity' comes first. It then becomes a mental task to produce the words which express the thought.
Transcription of thought enables communication.
Perhaps if there were no necessity to communicate, (because of mental telepathy as a means of communication or if no other sentient being existed for one to communicate with), transcription would be superfluous.
"Oh, I wish I could pray the way this dog looks at the meat" - Martin Luther
I'm glad I'm not the only one. There are a lot of important implications of this, but no one ever seems to talk about it.
One major thing is that if, due to the frustration of always having to convert thoughts into words in order to communicate, people develop the habit of always reasoning in words (which are far less precise), then they will have severely handicapped their own thinking ability. I don't think this is only hypothetical; it appears to me that most people do exactly this.
I agree with what folks here have said. Words point to thoughts, ideas, and emotions, the way a map points to roads, fields, and rivers, but the map is not the terrain.
It is for this reason that the deep "secrets" of the mystics and sages and (ironically) philosophers of austrian economics remain shrouded from widespread understanding even though they are writ wide and large. These secrets would remain secret if they were plastered over every billboard on the planet -- because although the pointers are everywhere, most people have not yet connected them with the corresponding thoughts/emotions, perhaps through lack of experience or through psychological blockage.
We're making headway, tho. Every once in a while, our words strike a resonance with someone who says, "Oh, yeah, THAT'S the explanation that WORKS!"
I agree with what folks here have said. Words point to thoughts, ideas, and emotions, the way a map points to roads, fields, and rivers, but the map is not the terrain. It is for this reason that the deep "secrets" of the mystics and sages and (ironically) philosophers of austrian economics remain shrouded from widespread understanding even though they are writ wide and large. These secrets would remain secret if they were plastered over every billboard on the planet -- because although the pointers are everywhere, most people have not yet connected them with the corresponding thoughts/emotions, perhaps through lack of experience or through psychological blockage. We're making headway, tho. Every once in a while, our words strike a resonance with someone who says, "Oh, yeah, THAT'S the explanation that WORKS!"
Way to connect NLP to Austrian economics. ;-)
I've read several NLP books recently and listened to several lectures on the subject and have mixed feelings. It seems to have some profound insights and good ideas (chunking up, down, and laterally, for isntance, is extremely useful in debate) but a lot of it seems to be BS, such as the idea of bringing about a wonderful mental state by making a picture brighter or bigger in your mind, or making unpleasant memories fade away by "shrinking them" and making them duller in your mind. You all seem to be rational people, what are your opinions?
Energy follows intent.
The Mrs. & I are level 1 healing touch practitioners. Don't know that anyone can really say why or how it works but SOMETHING happens.
A healing touch practitioner learns to understand that any result or no result is not anyone's fault. Whatever happens is beyond controlling.
I was very skeptical about the whole thing to begin with but was intrigued by it's claims and possibilities. I had some experience as a child with biofeedback and relaxation techniques to moderate pain and migraines.
Here are a couple links about healing touch and some related research if anyone is interested.
http://www.healingtouchprogram.com/about-healing-touch-program/what-is-healing-touch
http://www.healingtouchresearch.com/
I think this relates to the OP as it concerns thoughts and intent but not necessarily words. One cannot accurately express in words a sense of caring that we can only hope approaches that of unconditional love for another to the extent that whatever ails them is alleviated or removed from their mind/spirit/body.
Hello..I know I'm new to your org. but allow me:
No one thinks in words. I believe we translate concepts.. In fact, many of us will often refer to our vocabulary when wondering to ourselves,
"HOW CAN I PUT THIS THOUGHT INTO WORDS?" Ever had that thought???
the idea of bringing about a wonderful mental state by making a picture brighter or bigger in your mind, or making unpleasant memories fade away by "shrinking them" and making them duller in your mind. You all seem to be rational people, what are your opinions?