The Surprising Truth: Language Might Not Be Essential for Thinking, Says Neuroscientist

Throughout history, the role of language in human thought has been a topic of intense debate among philosophers and scholars. Plato, for instance, believed that language was essential for thinking, describing thought as "a silent inner conversation of the soul with itself."

Modern Views

In more recent times, Noam Chomsky, a prominent linguist at M.I.T., advocated a similar perspective, suggesting that language is crucial for reasoning and other forms of thought. He proposed that a deficit of language would lead to a deficit of thought.

Dr. Evelina Fedorenko's Perspective

One of Dr. Chomsky's former students, Dr. Evelina Fedorenko, initially found appeal in his theory but was concerned about the lack of evidence to support it. Pursuing her interest, she became a cognitive neuroscientist at M.I.T., using brain scanning techniques to study how the brain generates language.

After 15 years of research, Dr. Fedorenko has reached a surprising conclusion: Contrary to previous beliefs, it appears that humans do not necessarily require language to think.

This revelation challenges long-held assumptions about the relationship between language and thought, opening new avenues for exploration in the field of cognitive science.