The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker

The book explores the idea that humans are born with an innate capacity for language. It argues that the ability to learn language is a natural instinct, hard-wired into our brains by evolution. Drawing from research in various fields including linguistics, psychology, and anthropology, the book examines how children learn language, how languages develop and change over time, and how the mind constructs and understands language. The author challenges the notion that language is a cultural artifact and instead presents it as a biological adaptation that is essential for human survival and communication.

The 6821st greatest book of all time

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Total Points: 75

Since this book was first published in 1994, there is a penalty of 32.0%. The age adjusted score is 51.0.

This is to prevent newer books from reaching super high on the ranked list of the greatest books of all time. The greatest books should also stand the test of time.