Language as Result of the Fulguration Process in Konrad Lorenz’s Approach

Abstract

The article presents the conception of biological conditionings of language in Konrad Z. Lorenz’s approach. In Lorenz’s works the category of fulguration is the main philosophical category. It means the creation of ‘something new’ as result of the process of a sequence of phenomena that are causally related. Viewing the human race from the historical perspective Lorenz differentiates two important fulgurations, called superfulgurations. One of them is the transition from the “experiencing I” to the “conscious I”. Development of man’s mental sphere made it possible to form “verbal speech”. More broadly, in Lorenz’s approach, also culture has its subjectivization in nature. Cognition is an element of an organism’s behavior, and what is more, every mechanism of learning evolved phylogenetically. However, this does not result in strict determinism – various cultures are developed independently of one another. In the process of development of culture a special role is played by symbolization. Lorenz differentiates two types of symbols: symbols of a group (e.g. emblem) and language symbols. Language symbols were created in the regularity formed in the process of phylogeny, that is in conceptual thinking. In his philosophical explanation of the language structure Lorenz uses the data supplied by particular sciences. Moreover, language behaviors of particular people are conditioned by their personal experiences, and by the definite social and cultural milieu they live in.