Final answer:
Analogical reasoning is possible without language; it is a cognitive skill rooted in our evolutionary history, preceding linguistic ability and central to our survival and moral judgments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, we can perform analogical reasoning without language. Consider non-verbal forms of cognition, such as those seen in animals or humans without fully developed language skills. These beings still navigate complex environments, solve problems, and make predictions based on observed patterns—fundamental aspects of analogical reasoning. This shows that our minds possess at least a basic structure for problem-solving that does not depend solely on linguistic representation.
The ability to reason by analogy without language suggests a deep cognitive skill set, likely the product of millions of years of evolution, which precedes and underpins the development of language.
Thus, analogous thinking appears to be a fundamental aspect of our neuro-cognitive architecture, one that can be considered part of our 'moral faculty' and a reflection of our survival instincts as social mammals, guiding our intuitive judgments and interactions within our culture. This indicates that our understanding of truth and morality is not reliant on language but is, perhaps, a more primal ability we share with other life forms.