Able Language 2

1. What are the functions of language?  Just provide the main ones Abel describes.

The functions are cognitive, or “language that transmits information” and it also operates expressively. Language can be used expressively, ceremonially, preformatory, and there can also be “phatic communication”. One function that able describes is ceremonial language, that is not expressive or cognitive but in fact it is preformatory. “they themselves are the sole instrument of their actions. Ex. “ I thank you” this does not describe the action of thanking but constitutes it.

 

2. What is significant about the story of the tribal boys and the table? 

The significance about the tribal boys and the table is that by pointing at something to learn a word in a new language you are unable to communicate what it is that you are trying to convey. It creates a giant ambiguity in communication.

 

3. What is the “inscrutability of reference?” (p. 228)

The “inscrutability of reference is that you are not able to clearly communicate to someone something, even just an object you are pointing to, by merely pointing at it. This is because there are two many objects in pointing range and different parts or descriptions to the object that may be misinterpreted as what is being pointed at

 

4. What does Abel mean when he says that “Words are mete breaths of air, or scribbled pencil marks, but as used in a ‘language game’ by a speech community they are not arbitrary? “( p. 228)

Abel means that words can only mean what they mean, hot cannot mean cold for example.

 

5. What is the difference between Animal and Human Language?

Animal language is more monotonous and automatic. It is produced based off a stimulus that an animal receives. When an animal sees a certain type of predator it makes a different noise then when it loses a child.

 

6. What is Chomsky’s argument on how humans learn language?  Be specific about linguistic competence.

Chomsky feels that language is not something that is learned as if you were a blank slate, but instead is genetically done, that humans have a special ability to learn language. He believes that most structure and rules are already in us at birth. He then thinks that we pick up the vocabulary and are able to put the language we learn together, through linguistic compentence.

7. What does Abel think about Chomsky’s argument?

Able does not agree with Chomsky, “I belive that it is not warranted to postulate a specific human attribute called linguistic competence.”

 

8. How would you answer Abel’s questions:” Would an infant learn to speak, although isolated from adults, he were constantly within earshot of a radio?” (p. 231)

I think a baby would learn to speak, because he or she is able to hear language, and since I agree with Chomsky, the baby would pick up the vocabulary and with linguistic competence be able to tie them together. The baby’s language would be limited to whatever is on the radio however.

 

9. Why does Abel believe that “language is not in fact unique in the spectrum of human capacities?” (p. 231)

Abel believes this because he thinks that it is only a small part in social interaction. That things like etiquette and social behavior are just as important and unique.

 

10. What does Abel mean when he says: “We all learn these codes of stance, mannerism, gesture, tactility, interpersonal behavior…yet we are equally unable to state them fully”? (p. 232)

Abel means that there are so many different rules to social behavior and so many exceptions that it is impossible to fully explain them. Like in the reading when the man tried to explain how to shake someone’s hand. He went off on a huge explanation and only left me with more confusion and more questions.

Genie 1

1. What was Psamtik's experiment? What did he hope to learn? Did he?

Psamtik's experiment was that he placed two children in a sheapeards hut completely cut off from any type of language. He hoped to be able to study the development of languages, he hoped that these two children would develop thier own language to comunicate with each other. When the children said the word "bekos" for bread he imidiatly compared this to another older language and did not do more research on the subject itself. He technically did not learn much becuase he did not let the experiament continue on to see if these children did infact creatre thier own language or even use one similar to an already invented one.
2. Rymer claims on pg. 5 that "while his experiment was flawed in fulfilling its declared intention...it embodied both the theological questions and the practical quandaries that still bedevil the discipline." Where did Abel hint at this same concept?

Abel hinted at this same concept when he refered to the idea of... i honestly have no idea.
3. Why do Linguistics and Astronomy "constitute an unlikely sisterhood"?

Linguistics and Astronomy "constitue an unlikely sisterhood" because they have many similarities. They both have to be observational rather than having some type of experamentation to them. Astronomy because the stars are far away and linguistics becuase the topics are just "to human"
4. Why was the Social Worker concerned about the young girl that came to her Welfare Office with her mother?

The social worker was concerned because the girl stood unnaturally stooped holding her hands up, she felt that it was a case of autism in a child that must have been around 6 or 7.
5. Consider the history of Linguistics outlined in Chapter 5. Please explain how the study of language grew from the religious to the biological and finally to the psychological.

Lingustics started at religiously. People used to go into the rain forest with the bible and learn languages from using the bible to interact with the people speaking the language. People felt that language was a divine creation. Then Descartes came up with the idea that the soul was independent of the body, and alot of the brain. From here in the late ninteenth centuary a large amount of questions about human's language had found thier way under physchology, "a discipline the questions had helped to create"

Eyak Language

I feel that we should not go to far to try and preserve a dying language. I feel like if anything should be done it should be something similar to what Chief Marie Smith Jones did to preserve the Eyak language. Not so much the idea of fighting its extinction but creating dictionaries and recordings of the language. This way the language is never entirely lost, even when people no longer speak it. It is still there for people to look upon for cultural and historical reasons. Some people would disagree with this saying that it is extremely important to stop languages from becoming extinct, that the languages are extremely important to people’s cultures. However I feel that fighting to keep a language alive is almost impossible. If it is dying out it is dying out for a reason, whether it is issues with the construction or popularity of another language. In the world now communication, and global communication are huge. Fighting to keep dying languages alive is almost weakening these peoples ability to succeed in the ‘modern age’. Plus if we were to fight extremely hard to save languages the money spent would be immense. Even simply trying to create dictionaries for each and every of the hundreds of dying languages would add up a pretty hefty cost. If people say that they are losing their culture because their language is dying it makes me wonder why it is then dying in the first place if they aren’t keeping it alive if it means so much to them. I think that the IB supporting the International Mother Language Day is great. I think it shows how much the IB does want its students to broaden their horizons. I also think it is helping younger generations to connect with other languages, instead of keeping one as like a “master language” in which everybody uses. I feel as though this can help decrease the number of languages that are dying.

Eyeth or Earth

a) What is the primary argument of the students representing Deaf Culture?

The primary argument that the students representing Deaf Culture is that deafness should not be looked apon as a dissability, but just as a minority. They want it to be viewed the same way that differnt types of races are viewed, and not looked upon as an imparment but just a different group of people. "Much progress has been made toward seeing people with disabilities as whole individuals, toward focusing on what they can do, not on what they can't . But it's a leap from this understanding to the bizarre idea that the lack of hearing is no more a disability than being female or black."

b) Why would the Deaf Culture students value a President of Gallaudet who spends more time in Eyeth over Earth? Shouldn't a President of a college represent all students?

The students would value a president of gallaudent who spends more time in Eyeth over Earth becuase they think that that person is not 'deaf enough'. They feel this way becuase if a person is able to lip read and speak then they are trying to become one of the hearing, and almost promoting the idea that being deaf is a disablilty that needs to be overcome. People of the Deaf Culture could look at lip reading and speaking as exactly what they are trying to prove against, that being deaf is not a diablity but just a diffence between people. A president of a college should represent all students but i feel as if the Deaf Culture feels that by trying to represent all students this President is insulting Deaf Culture.

c) What are the advantages and disadvantages of a Deaf person spending too much time in either Eyeth or Earth?

The advantages of spending to much time in one is the ability to communicate and accept the people of which ever you find your self in. For example the people of the Deaf Culture strongly belive that they do not have any type of diablilty but are infact just different from the norm. They are able to grow together and connect with this belife. A disadvantage would be that by spending so much time with one, you in turn isolate yourself from major communication with the other. For example the Deaf Culture seems to be strongly against lip reading and deaf people speaking. However this belife and practice of not using it can impede thier ability to communicate with those who can hear.

d) What is your opinion of the fight at Galludet? Should Jane K. Fernandes be President of Gallaudet?

I personally think  that Fernandes should be President of Gallaudet because then deaf students who are not apart of the Deaf Culture are equally as important in the presidents eyes. I feel that if the preseident were to be someone that was strongly for Deaf Culture, as the rebellions wish for, then those deaf people who are for things like lip reading, speaking, and hearing aids, may not have as great as a chance of succeding or mabey even attending the university.

Able chapter 7

1. How do Mill and Frege disagree with Russell about grammatical sentences and meaning?

Russell disagrees with Mill and Frege because Mill and Frege believe that meanings of sentences should only depend on what the sentence actually says, or the meaning of words that actually make it up. Russell disagrees with this by showing that there may be grammatical sentences, which can be rendered as meaningful even though they may not appear to have meaning.

2. Abel provides 8 distinguishing features of meaning.  Please provide your own example for each.

1.      Indication- a red light means to stop

2.      Cause- what happens if I eat your apple?

3.      Effect- then I will take your lunch.

4.      Intention- I meant to take your sandwich

5.      Explanation- You shouldn’t do that because it makes me mad

6.      Purpose- I put water on the plants to keep them alive

7.      Implication- If the plants get water then they will live

8.      Significance- Is it important to do my TOK homework?  (of course it is!)

3. Why does Abel believe that science and metaphysics is involved in the discussion of linguistic meaning?

He believes that in order to be able to give meaning to something you must first be able to understand the world around you and whether what you are saying is actually logical or not.

4. Aristotle provided 10 categories that defined “the range of applicability of a term.”(p. 65).  Please provide your own example for each.

1.      Substance-Steph is a girl

2.      Quantity- She is 16 years old

3.      Quality- She is funny

4.      Relation- She is a Sturgis student

5.      Place- She is at my house

6.      Time- She is there at night time

7.      Action –She is typing

8.      Passion- She is trying to get her homework done

9.      Situation or position- She is sitting on a couch

10.  State or condition – She is very tired

5. How does Abel differentiate between Reference and Naming?

Reference is how the language itself affects the world. Naming is only the direct application of a word to a thing.

6. On page 66, Abel explains the historical significance of naming.  Can you think of any examples he left out?  Is there any contemporary example of which Abel would not be aware?

An historical significance with naming that was left out was during the holocaust how people that were put into concentration camps were not recognized by their name but by a number that was inscribed into their arm. A contemporary example could be how people would not say President Obama’s middle name because it was the same as a terrorist.

7. What is the main function of naming?  What doesn’t it do?

The main function of naming is to be able to have a way to establish what things are being talked about or presented in a conversation, however it can not describe the object, it is just merely a label.

 

8. What is the difference between sense and reference?

Sense is the description of an object, or a better understanding of what an object might be. Reference is simply just the name or the object itself, 

How does Abel differentiate between Connotation and Denotation?  What about Intension and Extension?

Abel differntiates between connotation and denotation by stating that connotation is description of whatever the word means while, denotation is the acutall object itself. For example the connotation of a umbrella is something that keeps you dry in the rain, while the denotation is the actuall object itself. Intension is the definition or "what you have in mind". While the extention is all of those objects in the world.
What does Abel mean when he says: “Though meanings require words, they are not identical to words.” (p. 68)?

Abel is trying to say that words are only a label for meaning itself, and that without words you can not acuratly describe meaning. However meaning has a much stronger purpose then the words themself.

  What is the connection between names and descriptions?  Do you agree with Abel that we use ‘linguistic symbols to organize experience” (p. 69)?

The connection between names and describing is that names can be used to describe something or someone. For example a person can be called Hitler, though thier name is not actually Hitler they are being described as a cruel and ruthless person. I do agree with Abel when he says we use "lingustic symbols to organize experiance." 

Why is referential opacity a problem?  Be sure to mention his specific examples.

Referential opacity is a problem because in certain contexts you can not subsitute one name for another even though they refer to the same thing. 

Ex: (only the first one is true.)

"Samuel Clemens adopted the pen name "Mark Twain" to conceal his idenity."

" Mark Twain adopted the pen name "Mark Twain" to conceal his idenity."

What is the problem of creating a “subsistent entity”? (p. 70)

The problem of creating a subsistent enity is that by refering to some object that you state does not exsist, you actually refer to it, creating somethign of which you are talking about.

Ex: "The Loch Ness Monster does not exsist", by saying this you are refering to somethng, making it exsist in a way.

How does Russell differentiate between “descriptive phrases and names” (p.70)?

Russell differentiates between descriptive phrases and names by identifying which has a denotation and which does not. Also he uses this example to show how proposition can differentiate between the two:

"Scott is the author of Waverley"

1. "At least one person wrote Waverley (i.e there is such a book)"
   
2. "At most one person wrote Waverley (ie. we may indicate someone as being the author)"
3. "There is nobody who both wrote Waverley and is not identical with Scott (ie, Scott is the only one who wrote Waverely)"

What is the connection between language and Knowledge by Acquaintance and Knowledge by Description?

In order to name something you must now what you are naming, you must have some type of acquaintance with the object in question, or else it would not have any purpose. 

What is a word?  What is an icon?  What is an index?

Words are basically symobls that are used to describe and place a name to something. An icon is something that refers to something by looking a little bit like what it is refering to. An index is loosly connected to what it is implying. Ex: Smoke is a sign of fire.

Why is it important for philosophers to “clarify thought by clarifying language”?  Why are Scientists offenders” (p. 72)?

It is important for philosophers to "clarify thought by clarifying language" becuase if worlds are used incorectly or carelessly then nothing but confusion and tangles can arise in the meanings of words. Scientists are also offenders because they use words to label certain phenomenas but have no clear meaning or denotation to them.

What does Abel mean when he says “Just as meanings are not the same things as words, so meanings are not the same things as operations or methods or uses” (p. 73)?

Able means that there is no way to vertify some types of meanings. For example "she secretly loves him" , if this love is secret then there is no possible way for it to be vertified.

Midterm Projects

                 As a class I thought we did very well. All presentations that were made in class used many different TOK terms. Also I thought the topics that were picked appeared to be very well thought out and pre planned. However I felt that some people focused more on the topic itself rather then the TOK terms. Most people just wrote a list of terms that connected rather than integrating it in. People also seemed to have an issue with time. Also there most presentations did not have a conclusion or an exact wrap up of the situation.  Some presentations were unclear about what the problem of knowledge was, but were more focused on the two different views of their topic.

For Kathleen and my project I felt like we did a very good job. Our problem of knowledge question was repeated throughout the presentation and was in our presentation outline about three times. I also felt that our TOK terms were well integrated with our topic. Instead of just talking about the terms that applied we used them throughout the presentation. Also I felt as though our time management was pretty good. We got in everything we wanted to say, but were unable to leave any room for much discussion. I also thought our outline was very strong, and I liked how we included the definitions of the terms we used there, instead of taking time in our presentation to do it like other people did.

 

War Speack

At least eight people have been killed and more than a dozen injured after a series of bomb blasts ripped through Baghdad, Iraqi officials said.
At least three including a policeman died in two blasts in New Baghdad district in the east of the city.
In the west of the city, three Iraqi soldiers died when a roadside bomb hit their military convoy.
Two civilians were killed in explosions in the central commercial district of Karrada, and near a police checkpoint.
The blasts occurred during the morning rush hour. Police said the explosions had mainly targeted Iraqi security forces.
'Pools of blood'
The US military said Iraqi police were hit when explosives planted on a truck detonated as they responded to the first blast in New Baghdad.
"I rushed out with others to see three bodies on the ground in pools of blood, " a witness, Mohammed Nasir, told AP news agency.
"This place has witnessed several bombings before and we fear that violence will come back after a period of quiet."
The explosions occurred on a road running through the commercial district, which local residents said was frequently used by police and army convoys.
Iraq has become less violent since the US military surge was launched 18 months ago.
More recently, however, Iraqi security forces have been targeted as they increasingly take the lead in military operations.

^taken from : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7823906.stm

I thought this was a good article to show that now we do not seem to hide military violence with 'war speak'. this article graphically describes people lying in a pile of blood. Also it doesn't try to cover the word bomb with any type of term or label. The word explosion and blasts are not covered by a less harsh word. Its almost as if the world has become so used to war and its violence that it is not as nesacary to dehuminanize the langauge to make it sound less evil. However this article appears to be written to make you feel bad for the innocents who were killed, and not to talk about a victory that was a result of these deaths. This may be why such harsh langauage is used.