Wednesday, March 11, 2009

a good aux-lang increases human 'mental lifespan'

D: refer to my earliest posts.
Finns learn their language a coupla years before the English.
Russians, a coupla years after English.
That's a spread of about 3-4 years.

Taken to an extreme, an aux-lang could exceed the best elements of a nat-lang.
Let's say a 'world language' allowed literacy FIVE years before a generic natural language.
Grade 8 is effectively grade 13.
Grade 13 is akin to a university education.
An undergrad of 3-4 years would be a PhD.
These folks then work and contribute to the economy for their entire adult lives.

Now let's say that a well-designed aux-lang, due to its powerful and concise vocabulary, allows thought at 1.25 or 1.5x the speed of a nat-lang.

Nat-langer: Done school at 20, work to 65. 45 'mental years'.
Aux 1.25: Done at 15, work to 65. Over 60 mental years.
Aux 1.5: 15, 65 ... 75 mental years.

D: imagine all that time we use to talk (or type) reduced.
Less need to clarify ambiguous statements.
Less need to flail for the right word.

Young adults immediately entering the workforce. I was in university until I was 25.

The language could result in somebody who is able to think more and more deeply through their lifetime. By retirement, their insights *could* amount to an elder.
Combine this with longer lifespans and perhaps we would end up with great sages.

I cannot recall the details, but I read something in Tao about how the mushroom that is burnt away by morning sun cannot know of the cycles of the moon.
Maybe mushrooms could start seeing wider, deeper, farther.

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