my thoughts on Sophie's World

I was reading the amazing book of Sophie’s World and I was rather intrigued by a point made. It was one of the philosopher’s many example

“A Russian astronauts and a Russian brain surgeon were once discussing religion. The brain surgeon was a Christian but the astronaut was not. The astronaut said, “I’ve been out in space many times but I’ve never seen God or angels.” And the brain surgeon said, “And I’ve operated on many clever brains but I’ve never seen a single thought.”

I think this is a perfect example of how something can exist without the proof of your eyes. This is the total basis of faith, and knowing something even when you do not see it. Sometimes you can know something without having what most people call ’reason’ to do so. Scepticism is the basis for this. Yet, I believe that sceptics are missing many points of knowledge because just as the example shows the phrase “seeing is believing” is not always the decider.

Take One

*Language: communication by voice in the distinctive human manner, using arbitrary, auditory symbols in conventional with conventional meanings (according to the American college dictionary).

*Communication: the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs (also according to the American college dictionary).

With this definition, I think I will go against popular belief and say that body gestures and such are not language but rather just in a different category of communication. Because doesn’t a language have to have two components based on this definition: a way to convey it to another individual by way of person, and by symbols. I am not saying that gestures are not used for communicating but believe in a more restricted meaning on language then what is given in the class, where the word communication would include other such forms.

(Yupp, that is about as profound as I get)