Thinking is an individual process centric to the human brain.  Basically the construction or development of a particular opinion, belief, or idea about someone or something constitutes thinking.

Artificial intelligence represents the ability to think without a human brain.  As the description of thinking is very broad, measuring if it is occurring can be a very subjective practice.

Alan Turing, British computer scientist, academic (among other things) postulated a test (the turing test) for artificial intelligence . It is however a somewhat subjective test.

Do you think in language?

Thinking is more a concept, that is thoughts are conceptual (e.g. think of sound or smell).  Language is a communication method associated with the thoughts but some  cognitive experts argue language is used more as an internal monologue tool than as a requirement for thought.

I have a number of multi-lingual friends, colleagues and family within my personal network and the simple question, “What language do you think in?” often leads to puzzlement.

Most, in fact initially everyone I asked was not sure what the question meant, hence the puzzlement.  On the whole, my conclusion is language is not required for thinking.

That being said, the ability to communicate is a key requirement for assessment  that artificial intelligence (thinking without an organic brain) exists and that thinking is occurring.

Still I wonder?

• Can thinking exist without language, even if that is sign language
• does a computer or device need to be able to communicate to prove the presence of intelligence
• does thinking require the ability to comprehend and is language required to do this
• if  I am multi-lingual and having a internal monologue, which language do I use.

And the questions continue.