The cognitive origins of geometry

Geometry is often considered the paradigmatic model of abstract thought, with thinkers since at least Plato exploring its origins. A dominant hypothesis posits that a specialized, modular language of thought underlies our species' unique geometric abilities. Challenging this view, I propose the Wanderers Hypothesis for Geometry, which suggests that human geometry is primarily rooted in navigation-like mental processes shared by humans and nonhuman animals and that these processes approximate Euclidean geometry. Drawing on infant experiments, cross-cultural experiments, and cognitive modeling, I argue that humans access these primitive processes through natural language, supporting their flexible application and our capacity for formal learning. This perspective broadens our understanding of geometric cognition and the nature of the human mind.