Learning from chimps

I love it when something is proven in animal tests. I rarely think about checking the literature of animal experimentation, but when I read about it sometimes when working with language, it usually proves a good point. I learned about critical learning windows, for example, when a researcher brought up what cats do during only a certain period of their upbringing.

So, yesterday when I was reading about the brain and its hemispheric differences and functions, up popped an animal experiment. It was very appropro because it showed that even chimpanzees who have no language can still use symbolic reasoning in establishing relational categories. That was important because I was trying to prove that symbolic reasoning is not tied to language necessarily. It's always a good moment when you happen onto something you have been hypothesizing, and it's ironic to me that the lesson comes from a chimp experiment.

It's a good reminder that sometimes pleasant surprises come along when you least expect them. Love it when that happens.