Radio Lab from WNYC

Words

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/

What a phenominal podcast!

"the brain begins as a series of islands... on one island waaaay over here you have color, you have an island called blue. Then waaaay over there you have another island, for special objects, definitions, like the concept 'Left.'

At some point the child stumbles upon the language- 'left of the blue wall' and then these islands COLLIDE. They come together. It is literally the phrase itself that brings that together."


Certain words give you a concept- like, Time for instance. That word is like a bridge that takes you to a new mental place. Without that concept, Time would be extremely difficult to understand or describe. A deaf man, who for many years never even knew he was deaf, who had no concept of language, had no language what so ever. Eventually, when the man was much older, a woman was able to teach him language. When asked later in his life what that time of his life was like when he didn't have language, he said "it was the darkest time of his life." And then when asked to describe it, he said that he "couldn't remember."

Language. As a great connector, as a efficent tool... but also as a means for giving meaning to this world, and handing you the power to begin to actually THINK. Words, language are essential tools to start thinking. The more words you have, the more cognitive capacity you have and the more you can think...

Incredible podcast!!