It has been suspected by some researchers that dolphins employ a sono-visual sense to ‘photograph’ (in sound) a predator approaching their family pod, in order to beam the picture to other members of their pod, alerting them of danger. In this scenario it is assumed that the picture of the predator will be perceived in the mind’s eye of the other dolphins. Why? Because they have an echolocation system? But that doesn't tell us what they think, only how they locate stuff. After that, the article goes on assuming its sono-pictorial premise as right. When Reid imaged the reflected echolocation sounds on the CymaScope it became possible for the first time to see the sono-pictorial images that the dolphin created. How do they know the dolphins create these images? Our ears catch vibrations, but we don't talk like dolphins. Another thing: they didn't say they showed the pictures created by the cymascope to the dolphins, only they played the sound back to them. Why, that tells us nothing of what's going on inside the dolphin's mind. Am I missing something? Have I misread anything? Do our ears function differently from the dolphin's? I tried looking for the paper on this, but the Cymascope site (http://cymascope.com/cyma_research/articles.html) only has an interview.
However, with this image-based language, you would all see the door as I intended, because I would have projected the image to you. What would that mean when a shared experience-space wasn't as necessary for precise communication? I also have to think that this could make for some very great humor. Image-based accents could be funny too.
Ha. Maybe the universe is the message, and we just haven't picked up on it yet. :) But, my guess is that if there is a message that we can pick up on, it's right here, but we just haven't developed the ability to detect it yet. As for dolphins, I have to wonder how assuming less for communication affects social interactions. If no one is likely to misunderstand you, is everyone more mellow? I also have to think that they must modify these images to enhance the message. Maybe if you are mad at Sam, you project his image with a big nose." Or, maybe you exaggerate: "That shark was like, THIS BIG!" I wonder how they deal with abstract concepts, like distance or time.