It just occurred to me that sensorial intelligence could be the universal language Chomsky discussed.
I have for years been opposed to the idea of a universal language, my opposition stemming from an understanding of language as existing within the mental structures of thoughts, informed by culture. From this lens, the idea of a universal language was scary as it equated my perception of British colonialism control via the sometimes peaceful but in other cases violent imposition of specific mental structures and cultural bias inherent to gentrification of language.
As my understanding of the senses increases, I realize that sensorial intelligence is a form of communication, thereby a form of language, which is universal not only to humans but to animals and plants. Not via common mental structures but a common sensory membrane, in the human case, the skin. Skin is our largest organ and we clearly underestimate its role as a sensor. An organ that not only senses via touch, it also senses the unseen chemical, heat and other kinds of invisible energy trails that scientist are barely beginning to measure.
Of course how we sense is perceived through our cultural lenses. But all life form is born with an external membrane that filtered and senses the air and communicates with the life form. From single cells, to plants, to humans. The universal part becomes the sensing mechanism. We all have a system of perception that transcends all forms of languages.
The skin sends out chemical messages as much as receive them. A baby’s first developed sense is that of smell. He/she smells the milk source, through the pheromones released by the mother’s skin. The smell created by the skin is invisible but one of the most important factor in many survival decision making process.
For instance, a woman who is not on birth control pills will select a reproductive mate for genetic complementariness. The pheromones released by the male sends signals which informs the female of compatibility. She is unaware of this selection process which is yet crucial for the successful adaptation of her offspring.
How powerful our decision-making could become were we to become aware of our senses and how they work….
What if we could consciously read our environment from the data our skin and other senses offer us? We have a lot to (re)learn.
Alx Bal 