Final answer:
Humans possess an innate ability to learn language, supported by the innate Language Acquisition Device proposed by Chomsky. This ability, combined with environmental factors, illustrates the influence of both nature and nurture, and is further emphasized by the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which suggests language shapes our reality.
Step-by-step explanation:
The belief that human brains are hard-wired to learn a language is rooted in the concept that we are born with a biological predisposition towards language acquisition, as proposed by Noam Chomsky. Chomsky introduced the idea of a Language Acquisition Device (LAD), suggesting that there is an innate mechanism in the human brain that enables us to learn and understand language. Children all over the world demonstrate the ability to rapidly learn the language spoken in their environment without formal instruction, indicating that certain cognitive abilities for language development are indeed biologically determined.
Researchers have also noted the existence of a critical period for language learning during early childhood when acquiring a new language is much easier. This proficiency diminishes as people age, supporting Chomsky's theory over B. F. Skinner's behaviorist approach, which emphasized learning through reinforcement. The interaction between inherent biological factors and the linguistic environment exemplifies the dynamic interplay of nature and nurture in human development.
The impact of language on human behavior and perception has also been explored through the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis or linguistic relativity, positing that the language one speaks influences how they think about reality. This highlights the integral role language plays in the formation of human culture and cognition.