Can humans think without using language?

In the field of the philosophy of language, the question of whether humans can think without language is a subject of significant debate. While some historical perspectives, such as those of John Locke, viewed language primarily as a public vehicle for private, independent ideas, most modern philosophers and linguists consider the view that thought requires language to be implausible.12

Evidence suggests that thinking can occur independently of linguistic expression:

• Nonlinguistic Representation: Prelinguistic infants and higher primates demonstrate complex problem-solving abilities, such as those involving spatial memory. This indicates that they utilize nonlinguistic systems of representation, such as mental maps or models of the world.1
• Independent Cognitive Domains: Human adults engage in forms of thought, such as artistic or musical reasoning, that do not demand linguistic expression and may be purely visual or auditory.1
• Developmental Origins: Psychologists like Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky observed that human reasoning originates in the general ability to combine nonverbal acts, suggesting that thinking and speaking arise independently, even if they become profoundly interdependent later.3

Ultimately, while language immensely increases the power of human thought, it is not a prerequisite for all cognitive activity.1