Stephen Crain

Stephen Crain, a professor and author of The Emergence of Meaning, discusses the intriguing concept of logical nativism—how certain logical structures may be innate rather than acquired through experience. He highlights cross-linguistic patterns, particularly in child language acquisition, that suggest a shared cognitive framework underlying diverse languages like English and Mandarin. The conversation also tackles how children interpret logical concepts such as 'or,' emphasizing the role of logical reasoning in language development and critiquing experience-based theories.