Comment by jebarker

Does Keller's experience suggest that awareness of a self is a prerequisite for abstract thought and an inner dialogue? If so, it's interesting that (based on my layman interpretation) many forms of mindful meditation are oriented around the idea that the self is an illusion and just an abstract thought itself.

EDIT: thinking about this more you can interpret this experience as evidence that some form of grounding in the outside is necessary for abstract thought. For Keller that had to be language since she didn't have sight and sound.