Listen "Thought and Language (Vygotsky)"
Episode Synopsis
The excerpts, primarily drawn from Lev Vygotsky's Thought and Language, present a comprehensive analysis of the development of thought and speech, critiquing prevailing psychological theories like behaviorism and Jean Piaget's stages. A central theme is Vygotsky's sociohistorical theory, which posits that higher mental functions are products of constructive teaching and learning, heavily influenced by culture and social interaction rather than solely residing in the individual brain. The text examines the complex, changing relationship between thought and word meaning, proposing that they have separate developmental roots that merge around age two to form verbal thought. Key concepts discussed include the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), the function of egocentric speech as a precursor to inner thought, and the distinction between spontaneous and scientific concepts in education, with instruction shown to often precede and accelerate development.
More episodes of the podcast Dratsi Pod
Migrants in the Profane (Peter E. Gordon)
15/11/2025
German Jews (Mendes-Flohr)
15/11/2025
Implicit Prosody (Van Handel)
14/11/2025
Precarious Happiness (Peter E. Gordon)
14/11/2025
Minima Moralia (Adorno)
14/11/2025
Adorno Biography (Clausen)
14/11/2025
Feeling and Form (Susanne Langer)
11/11/2025
Optimality Theory (Kager)
07/11/2025
Phonological Tone (Yip)
07/11/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.