The Language Cogito Paradigm

The Special Issue of Scientific American September 2018 was titled « Humans : Why we ‘re are unlike any other species on the planet » . Reflecting for years on language has led me to a Language Cogito : I use language, therefore, I am a human. So, humans are first Homo Linguistico beings. Second, language is also the site of birth of what I call Cultural Symbols/CS (language, thought, religion, knowledge, myths, laws, cultural values and norms). This paper’s thesis is cross-checked through two remarks: 1- Man is Homo Linguistico- Culturus. 2- language is the Mother of the rest of CS. Five observations confirm how humans are linguistico-culturus and, thus, different from the other species

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1-The process of the human body growth and maturation is slow compared with those of other living beings. For instance, on average human babies begin walking at the age of one year, while animal babies may walk within few hours or days after their birth. The human slow pace results from the human involvement in a second process of growth and maturation represented by language and CS

2- Humans have longer lifespan than most animals.

3-The human race has an uncontested dominant role on Earth.

4-Humans are privileged by language and CS.

5- In my conceptualization, the human identity is made of three parts: the body, the soul and CS. Thus, it is a three dimensional identity.

The following drawing illustrates the central position and role of language and CS in the making of the human identity

1. The human body’s slow growth
2. The human’s longer lifespan
3. Humanity’s dominant role
4. Language and CS central impact on the human identity
5. The human’s tri-identity