Animal Language

To what extent do animal have language?

I think animals do have language because they are able to establish relationships between one another and also because each animal produces a different sound. Sometime you see video of different animals, using their language and responding to each other. We can see this through their body languages and the way their tone changes.
Animals such as Alex, learned to communicate with humans, however this is an exception to the rule of communication for animals.

What is language?

Language is used to communicate and create a connection between living things. Language is nonverbal too, such as touching, facial expressions, body language or sign language. Word must be organized in a certain manner so that it can be understood by others. Humans get their vocal tract once they reach the age of 9 months, however animals can't speak because they don't have a voice tract.

January 16. 2016

Looking back on this lesson we had in class, I would like to add to my thoughts of what language is. I think language has to do with a way to create a relationship with someone or with an animal. Whether it's a positive one or a negative one it has to create a relationship. I still remember the two video we watched and I do think that animals still do have language. We humans evolved from an animal, and we still are, we can continue to evolve like we have in the past. For us we are learning still new way to communicate and we are dealing with new ways of learning. Animals must have language as they continue to create a relationship with each other, and with us. Humans and animals can have an outstanding relationship with each other, and this might not have to be due to verbal language but it is due to at least body language. Last school year Jane Goodall came into our school. She showed us that she had a special greeting with her chimps. She did not teach them ow to speak but she imitated their sounds and tried to interpret them until she knew what they meant. After a while she was able to communicate with the chimps and see what they were feeling. Therefore, animals must be able to have language becasue they are connected to us humans and have emotions, body language, etc. So if they have all the other aspects we human have, what would make them lack on language?

Language & Sense Perseption

Touch: Heated debate

Sound: Music to her ears

Sight: He looked hot

Taste: Ain't she sweet

Smell: Stench of failure

How do language and sense perception connect? 
Above I have listed various metaphors showing how language and sense perception are effected by one another. However there is more then just metaphors. When you touch something for example sand, it may trigger your memories, and you can start to feel the wind or smell the ocean. You don't nesesarily have to be influenced by a touch but it can also be as simple as closing your eyes and trying to image everything that is surrounding you. For example in ISTA TaPs in London, we had a work shop where we had to close our eyes and imagine that each part of our body has a different purpose. We were told to pretend like we are stepping in honey, and like our arms are wings and that our face is aging, and to taste a sour lemon. We did the activity for 5 minutes and all of us got so into it we forgot we were in the middle of an exercise we could feel every movement in our body. Therefore language can help trigger the way you feel leading to your sense perceptions coming into play.

How has sense perception and language limited our knowledge?

Since we do rely on our sense to tell us everything, we begin to believe that just because we have seen or touched something it must be true. After that it may become harder to accept another idea or belief. Especially when you see something first hand you take that as a fact, and don't see it in a different way, however when someone tells you they see something different it is hard to believe what they are saying. An example would be a topic that was trending in 2015 called 'The Dress'. The dress was a picture taken and uploaded to twitter and a whole battle began if the dress was white or gold or blue and black. The dress started many fights and was a topic of conversation of controversy. The reason was because some people saw one option and could not see the other one, and this shows how unreliable sense perception can be. The image below depicts the dress the attached link is an example of ow everyone was discussing their views on the dress, including multiple celebrities.

http://www.justjared.com/2015/02/26/celebrities-join-the-what-color-is-this-dress-debate/

What is the role of Sense Perception in science?

Different sense perceptions have helped by allowing us to discover new topics and ideas, in different fields such as science. Below are some examples of how sense perception can help us understand why sense perception is important in science.

Sight: In physics we observed how the color of our solution went from clear to pink, and we had to mix the solution until we saw a color change.

Touch: In physics we can touch whether the solution has become warmer or colder.

Hear: Sound waves of the water surface - Hitting the tuning fork above a tube and seeing if the height of the water has changed

Smell: If the solution is burning

However there can be handicaps with the use of sense perception.

Capgras Syndrome: When you recognize faces, but think that it is someone else

Blindsight: When someone can still see but the brain doesn't process everything. When you can only recognize 60% of the facial expressions you see

Asymbolia: When you know where the pain is, and feel when it hurts, but you don't have an emotional connection

Theory of sense Perception

Guess: I think the theory of sense perception explains that all of us see the same things because we all have the same senses, because of evolution.

Standard Theories of sense perception:

1. Direct Realism: Perception is reality, and it is directed through sensory organs

    Problem: variation among individual and in self

2. Indirect Realism: Brain is processing your information. There is a real world and mind independent objects (doesn't depend on your mind). It is mediated through sense. So sometimes these effects are different from reality. The veil perception is basically saying that we see the world differently because our sense can not be brought out perfectly and therefore it may seem that our 'veil' can not be taken off.

3.Idealism (Berkley) "Any of various systems of thought in which the object of knowledge are held to be in some way dependent on the activity of mind".

To what degree is sense perception reliable?

Epistemology is the study of knowing.  It deals with the nature of knowledge, how do we know things, what do we know, why we know, is what we know true, and what are the limits of knowledge.

From experience, from learning or reading about it. From our brain receptors.

Our sense perception is selective, it can be misleading and we can connect it to memory.

we need it so we are conscious of our surroundings, 

We know about 

Homework: Learn the Ways of Knowing and the Areas of Knowledge for a quiz next class

Ways of Knowing (flimsier)

• Faith: 
• Language
• Imagination
• Memory
• Sense Perception
• Intuition
• Emotion
• Reason

Areas of Knowledge (HH Marine)

• History
• Human Science
• Math
• Arts
• Religious Knowledge
• Indigenous Knowledge
• Natural Science
• Ethics

In 2015 the TOK syllabus aded to areas of knowledge, indigenous and religious knowledge, why would they? 

TOK is a great class to be able to be open minded and explore and learn about things happening all over the world. In addition, all areas of knowledge could be connected to people and the way they live, from the past until today. It would only make sense to also mention where they come from and religion has a large portion to do with why people act the way they do. So it may supply or provide an explanation for why people are who they are and what has formed their way of thinking. In addition, these two topics are quite philosophical and have may dimensions to them and much that can be discussed. Lots of things in these two new areas can deal a lot with imagination and allow for one to understand more about a person and our worlds history. All other topics are quite straight forward and are typical things we study in class, however these two new additions are what are going to drive our discussion and require a bit more thinking as we are not as familiar with the two new topic.

Sense Perseption

Types of sense perseptions

1. Itching
2. Sweating
3. Shivering
4. Pain
5. Soreness
6. Goose-bumps
7. Breathing
8. Wetness
9. Stress
10. Hunger
11. Thirst
12. Tears
13. Yawning
14. Cramps
15. Nausea
16. Blinking
17. Fever
18. Soreness
19. Numbness
20. Stiffness
21. Balance
22. Proprioception

When we see something, it can affect what we hear. Our senses are greatly affected by what we can interpret and also what we can see and even things we are just used to seeing. Our mind can not switch something like a face because we wouldn't be able to identify it. In addition, our minds can be fooled by what we see such as levels, distance, etc.

January 16, 2016:

Now that I have been in the TOK class for more than a month, I can say we continue to use our sense perception in our class and exploring the topic.For example last class we were looking at a chair. In light it is clear that it is dark blue, however once put into the dark, the color started looking different and darker. I have also become a lot more aware of my sense perceptions in my daily life and what it really means which is interesting to see how something I has completely ignored before has developed into something I try and take notice in today.

We also have continued to explore the idea of optical illusions. When we see one thing, it may be tricked by our minds. What we might see, is not necessarily what is happening, and there is where the question arises if our minds can be so easily tricked how can we be sure of what we know or think to know?

An example is in the picture below. The picture is a still picture, however when looking at it, the image seems to be moving.

Profile of You as a Knower

Profile of You as a Knower

How old are you? How might your age affect both what you know and your attitude toward gaining knowledge?

I am 17, and this might effect me as a learner because I do not have the experience that older people might have, however I do have a fresh mind set that will allow me to open up, and not have such a strict view or such a large influence from other people.

What is your mother tongue? What other languages do you speak? How might your particular language(s) affect your knowledge?

My mother tongue is Spanish however Ive been speaking English more often, since I studied it since I was in Kindergarten. English has also become my common household language, as we all speak it fluently and it's easier for both my sister and I since our whole life is revolved around an English speaking community? However, as my father is Hungarian I will understand a lot of things. This will affect my knowledge because I know a lot about two completely different cultures.

What sex are you? Does your gender role affect how you see the world? Does it influence your expectations of what knowledge you should gain in your education?

Female. Since there are still different gender stereotypes, means that we might grow up in a different way and that we will have different opportunities and possibilities. I live surrounded by a society and community where they don't treat me differently for the way I look and the gender I am, so in my daily life it probably does not really effect the way I see the world, however when I travel, I sometimes feel a bit out of my comfort zone, and they do treat me a bit differently. So it in some way has been able to help me see the world in different ways as I see and experience some major world problems, such as gender inequality, first hand.

Did you grow up in an urban area or a rural one? How might living in the countryside affect what and how you know?

I grew up in both urban and rural. When I was younger i lived in Tokyo and therefore grew up in a very busy city. I now however, don't live completely in the countryside however I study in the countryside. It doesn't effect me too much as I still have a high quality lifestyle and keep old traditions I learned in Tokyo even though I don't live in the city. But it does effect what I know because I have been part of two different lifestyles, so I see how differently some people live and I also have gotten used to living in different circumstances. For example in the city it was easy for me to go out because it would take two minutes to get to the city, as i lived right in the heart of Tokyo. However living in Nagykovacsi since I'm quite far from the city I have to rely more on my parents and it's harder to be as independent. This is because of the transport, and the amount of tine it would take me to get home. So, where I live has very much effected my independence and my knowledge as I living in two places where there are a bunch of foreigners has really open my mind and allowed me to meet people from all over the world.

Have you always had enough to eat, felt safe and been able to get an education? How do you think that having these needs met – or not met – affect your present knowledge?

Yes, I have always had everything I needed, and even more then  need. These privileges allow me to not only travel and experience different cultures but also they allow me to have unique experiences and try new things. These needs might effect my knowledge as they do show that I come from a privileged household and we have the extra income to experience things many people would never have the chance to and meet people from all around thew world. Things that any other kid would learn about in their textbook and only have the pictures provided for them to imagine what it looks like, I have seen and been there. For example in History we were studying La Guernica by Pablo Picasso and I had already seen the image in person. 

How would you describe your spiritual worldview? How might following a religion, or not doing so, affect your knowledge?

I don't believe in anything at all. Unlike some religions, that have a constriction on what you can and can not do and what you can/ can not eat, I am able to do whatever I feel like. This will give me a different viewpoint on life because I Believe each person paths their own life, and there is nothing to specifically live for, i don't believe in afterlife so my behavior and viewpoints are not influence in order to achieve anything. I live my life pretty freely with no rules or restrictions. This effects my knowledge as I am a very open minded person, and I can see the world in a different perspective as I don't mind to open my mind up to try new things and meet new people.

How do cultural influences affect how you see the world? Do you identify with a particular culture?

Personally, since both my parents come from two completely different worlds and grew  to identify with a cultures and worlds. My mom grew up in the busy city at an all girls, private school and spoke only Spanish. My dad on the other hand, he grew up in the country side,, during communism, and went to a public Hungarian school, speaking only Hungarian. Therefore I have a mix of different traditions, beliefs and a cross between both cultures. This has allowed me to see the world In a different way. As I am interested in learning about different cultures and in school I am surrounded by multiple nationalities and cultures. Therefore this allows me to see the world in a different way as I have meet people from various cultures and they have effected my knowledge about the world and thought me to open my mind and be respective of everyones differences.

Are there any particular field of knowledge appeal to you strongly? Does your interest affect your current knowledge and your knowledge goals for the future?

There is no particular field of knowledge that does interest me too much, but I wouldn't mind to explore the different type of fields and go more in depth on each one. For the future I would like ti increase my knowledge in writing or in fashion, as those are the two aspects I would be interested in going into after I finish high school.

Is there any relation between all that was stated above and the way you look at topics in TOK? 

Yes there is because as I am open-minded, and have expirenced and grown up in a very privileged way I have a good foundation of what we have studied in the TOK class. I have been able to travel and study topics in other classes, or by traveling. Also I am able to think of the topic in an open way. I have been able to offer my input in topics we have studied with a fresh perspective. As everyone in my TOK Class will answer the above questions in a different way it will greatly effect the types of discussions we have in TOK and also it will help by allowing me to see different dimensions of the different topics.