Theory of Knowledge
Theory of Knowledge
13
Chapters
165
Notes
Chapter 1 - Knowledge & The Knower(Core)
Chapter 1 - Knowledge & The Knower(Core)
Chapter 2 - Knowledge & Technology(Optional)
Chapter 2 - Knowledge & Technology(Optional)
Chapter 3 - Knowledge & Language(Optional)
Chapter 3 - Knowledge & Language(Optional)
Chapter 4 - Knowledge & Politics(Optional)
Chapter 4 - Knowledge & Politics(Optional)
Chapter 5 - Knowledge & Religion(Optional)
Chapter 5 - Knowledge & Religion(Optional)
Chapter 6 - Knowledge & Indigenous Societies(Optional)
Chapter 6 - Knowledge & Indigenous Societies(Optional)
Chapter 7 - History(AoK)
Chapter 7 - History(AoK)
Chapter 8 - The Human Sciences(AoK)
Chapter 8 - The Human Sciences(AoK)
Chapter 9 - The Natural Sciences(AoK)
Chapter 9 - The Natural Sciences(AoK)
Chapter 10 - The Arts(AoK)
Chapter 10 - The Arts(AoK)
Chapter 11 - Mathematics(AoK)
Chapter 11 - Mathematics(AoK)
Chapter 12 - ToK Exhibition
Chapter 12 - ToK Exhibition
Chapter 13 - ToK Essay
Chapter 13 - ToK Essay
IB Resources
Chapter 3 - Knowledge & Language(Optional)
Theory of Knowledge
Theory of Knowledge

Chapter 3 - Knowledge & Language(Optional)

Is Language Beyond Humanity? Exploring Non-Human Communication

Word Count Emoji
771 words
Reading Time Emoji
4 mins read
Updated at Emoji
Last edited on 14th Jun 2024

Table of content

Understanding communication

Animals, insects, and even plants have unique ways of expressing themselves. Birds sing and display mating rituals, bees dance, and ants release pheromones. This doesn't exactly match human language, but it's a form of communication.

 

Example: Imagine watching a beautiful bird song competition, where each bird tries to outdo the others with their melodies. It's not just music, but also a way of claiming territory and attracting mates.

Case study - koko the gorilla

Koko, a gorilla who passed away in 2018, could use 1,000 hand signs and understand 2,000 words. She could express complex emotions like grief.

 

Example: Koko named her kitten "All Ball" and showed noticeable grief when All Ball was tragically hit by a car.

Emotional expression

An interesting question emerges here: Would we be more convinced about the emotional capacity of animals if they could communicate them like Koko did?

Apes and language

Apes are our closest evolutionary relatives. Expanding their linguistic capability might be a step towards understanding language in a broader sense.

Case study - christine hunger and stella

Christine Hunger, a speech pathologist, and her dog Stella gained fame by supposedly expressing thoughts and desires.

 

Example: Imagine watching Stella tap a button that says "walk," eagerly wagging her tail. It may not be a language as we traditionally define it, but Stella is communicating her desire.

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IB Resources
Chapter 3 - Knowledge & Language(Optional)
Theory of Knowledge
Theory of Knowledge

Chapter 3 - Knowledge & Language(Optional)

Is Language Beyond Humanity? Exploring Non-Human Communication

Word Count Emoji
771 words
Reading Time Emoji
4 mins read
Updated at Emoji
Last edited on 14th Jun 2024

Table of content

Understanding communication

Animals, insects, and even plants have unique ways of expressing themselves. Birds sing and display mating rituals, bees dance, and ants release pheromones. This doesn't exactly match human language, but it's a form of communication.

 

Example: Imagine watching a beautiful bird song competition, where each bird tries to outdo the others with their melodies. It's not just music, but also a way of claiming territory and attracting mates.

Case study - koko the gorilla

Koko, a gorilla who passed away in 2018, could use 1,000 hand signs and understand 2,000 words. She could express complex emotions like grief.

 

Example: Koko named her kitten "All Ball" and showed noticeable grief when All Ball was tragically hit by a car.

Emotional expression

An interesting question emerges here: Would we be more convinced about the emotional capacity of animals if they could communicate them like Koko did?

Apes and language

Apes are our closest evolutionary relatives. Expanding their linguistic capability might be a step towards understanding language in a broader sense.

Case study - christine hunger and stella

Christine Hunger, a speech pathologist, and her dog Stella gained fame by supposedly expressing thoughts and desires.

 

Example: Imagine watching Stella tap a button that says "walk," eagerly wagging her tail. It may not be a language as we traditionally define it, but Stella is communicating her desire.

Unlock the Full Content! File Is Locked Emoji

Dive deeper and gain exclusive access to premium files of Theory of Knowledge. Subscribe now and get closer to that 45 🌟